Hickman, CA – SCFPD personnel responded to the 1000 block of Downie Road in Hickman just after 11 AM today for a report of employees who were injured when the trench they were working in collapsed. SCFPD Engine 24 arrived on scene to find three patients in need of rescuing from a trench that was approximately eight feet deep: one man in his mid-30’s that had been completely buried in the collapse who had chest pain appeared to have suffered a back injury, another man in his early 50’s with a broken leg, and a third uninjured man. Firefighters put a ladder in the trench and the man with the broken leg was able to climb out. The uninjured man helped raise the other patient up just enough for firefighters to get a harness on him to extricate him and the uninjured man was able to climb out of the hole just as it began collapsing even further. The patient with chest/back injuries was airlifted from the scene and the one with the broken leg was transported via ambulance to a local hospital. SCFPD Engines 24 and 23, Quint 72, two Chief Officers and the Training Officer all assisted with the incident.
