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Los Angeles tunnel collapse: What happened in Wilmington, California? Latest details
Thirty-one workers were rescued after an industrial tunnel collapse in Wilmington, Los Angeles.
On Wednesday, thirty-one workers were rescued following the collapse of one industrial tunnel in Wilmington, said the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
The LAFD mobilized a major emergency operation, sending more than 100 responders, including all of its elite Urban Search and Rescue teams, to the site on the 1700 block of South Figueroa Street.
The collapse took place deep within the Los Angeles Effluent Outfall Tunnel, which is currently under construction as part of the $630.5 million Clearwater Project.
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31 workers rescued from Los Angeles tunnel collapse
L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn assured that every worker was brought to safety, and there were no visible injuries among the 31 workers. The workers had to scale a heap of soil approximately 12-15 feet high so that they could scurry out of the tunnel's collapsing part.
“I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass shared in a post on X. “Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately. You are L.A.'s true heroes.”
“The City of Los Angeles has mobilized resources to the tunnel collapse in Wilmington. More than 100 LAFD responders have been deployed, including Urban Search and Rescue teams. Thank you to all of those who are acting immediately to respond to this emergency,” Bass said in another post.
The accident took place almost 6 miles into the tunnel, making rescue very difficult. This was the only source of entry miles away in the collapse point, miles underground, at about 450 feet beneath the ground.
Flatiron Dragados is building a 7-mile-long and 18-foot-wide tunnel as part of L.A. County's work to modernise the old wastewater system. The Clearwater Project will replace the tunnels that were constructed in 1937 and 1958 and have been in use.
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The L.A. County Sanitation District documents from July 2024 noted the work on the tunnel was to be completed by April 2025, and the entire project completion was estimated by 2027. The new tunnel was to open up by January 2028.y January 2028.
