Over two dozen workers were able to safely escape following a tunnel collapse in the Wilmington area of Los Angeles Wednesday night, and now the largest construction project in L.A. County is on hold. The incident was reported around 8 p.m. in the 1700 block of N. Figueroa Street and involved at least 31 industrial tunnel workers, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
More than 100 LAFD personnel, including Urban Search and Rescue teams and Mayor Karen Bass, responded to the scene. The workers were able to emerge from the collapsed tunnel on their own, according to fire officials. It was a huge LAFD response because it had the potential of being a major multi-day tunnel rescue incident. AIR7 footage showed workers being brought out of the tunnel in a cage hoisted up by a crane. LAFD said that trapped workers were able to scramble over a 12-15-foot tall pile of loose soil to meet several coworkers on the other side of the collapse and be shuttled, several at a time, by a tunnel vehicle to the tunnel’s entry.
No injuries were reported. However, 27 of the workers were medically evaluated by LAFD paramedics at the scene. “Tonight, we were lucky,” said LAFD Interim Chief Ronnie Villanueva. “It was determined that a structure failure of the tunnel lining failed approximately five to six miles in.” “We had an opportunity to speak with them. We had an opportunity to make sure that they were able to reach their family members. Their family members knew they were safe,” said Bass.
