Los Angeles Fire Department rescue crews freed 31 workers reported trapped in Wilmington Wednesday evening after a tunnel collapse, with no reported injuries.
More than 100 firefighters — including Urban Search and Rescue team members specially trained and certified to handle confined-space tunnel operations — were dispatched to the 1700 block of North Figueroa Street shortly before 8 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The 31 people trapped, all believed to be tunnel workers, were reported rescued with no visible injuries at around 9:45 p.m.
It was unclear what caused the tunnel to collapse, although the fire department noted that the 18-foot diameter excavation site was under construction for municipal wastewater management.
Humphrey reported that preliminary findings suggested the trapped workers managed to climb over a pile of loose soil, estimated to be 12 to 15 feet tall, with considerable effort.
They were able to reach several coworkers on the other side of the collapse and were taken in groups by a tunnel vehicle to the entry point, which is more than five miles away.
Twenty-seven workers removed from the tunnel are being medically evaluated by LAFD paramedics at the scene, Humphrey said.
The incident commander requested that helicopters from television stations be no closer than one mile from the intersection of Figueroa Street and Lomita Boulevard because excessive noise from the helicopters above the rescue site were interfering with the ability of rescue personnel to effectively communicate face-to-face or via radio at ground level.
The scene remained under an ongoing investigation Wednesday evening.