Man rescued from hole at Gatineau, Que., worksite
Was trapped up to his hips for several hours, authorities say
A man in his 50s has been rescued after being trapped for several hours in a hole at a Gatineau, Que., worksite, officials say.
The man was working at the bottom of a two-and-a-half metre trench on rue des Anciens in the city's Pointe-Gatineau neighbourhood Thursday morning when rocks and clay suddenly fell in.
He ended up being buried in the hole up to his hips, division fire chief Dany Fortin told Radio-Canada.
It took nearly four hours to free him, officials said.
A truck typically used to handle water main breaks was able to siphon off the earth that had fallen in, and once the hole was empty, the man was pulled out at around 2:15 p.m. with a rope tied to his waist.
Despite the fact he lost circulation in his legs, his recovery should go well, Fortin said.
Roughly 40 firefighters — half from Gatineau, half from Ottawa — took part in the rescue operation. Several paramedics were also present.
With files from Radio-Canada's André Boisjoli and Anne-Charlotte Carignan