Evanston Firefighters and members of the department’s specialized rescue team rescued a construction worker who was trapped when the walls of a trench he was working in collapsed at about 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 5.
The 55 year old Highwood man was working at Northwestern University’s Elder Hall, 2400 Sheridan Road. He was conscious when rescuers arrived, but due to the weight of the dirt he was unable to free himself from a 14 foot trench. Firefighters using advanced training techniques along with special equipment freed the man within 26 minutes of arriving on scene. The man was transported by Evanston Fire paramedics to Evanston Hospital for evaluation. Officials remained on the scene while the investigation continued. The work was being conducted by sub-contractors working for NU.