Worker Rescued From 24-Foot Trench At Missouri Landfill

A Missouri man was rescued with significant injuries after falling into a 24-foot trench at the local landfill while operating a hydroseeder, officials said.

The Columbia Fire Department said crews responded to a call for technical rescue at the City of Columbia Landfill at around 4 p.m. on Monday, July 6. Solid Waste employees led crews to the site of the incident, where a tractor pulling a hydroseeder slid into a trench approximately 24 feet deep.

The operator of the hydroseeder was ejected from the machine and came to a rest approximately 16 feet below grade in the open pit. A hydroseeder is used for large-scale planting, with a high-pressure hose spraying a mix of seed, fertilizer and water over a large area.

Crews worked to stabilize the area before deploying trench rescue equipment. Firefighters assessed the patient “from a safe location” while preparing for an “extremely technical” trench rescue operation.

The patient, however, managed to make it out of the trench with help from firefighters, “despite sustaining significant injuries.” The patient was transferred to awaiting EMS for transport to a local hospital.

“Throughout the incident, crews maintained a strong focus on scene safety, hazard mitigation and coordinated operations,” the fire department said. “Although the incident was resolved without the need for an expanded complex trench rescue, firefighters were fully prepared to implement advanced trench rescue operations had conditions required it.”