{"id":16669,"date":"2019-01-16T14:20:07","date_gmt":"2019-01-16T19:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=16669"},"modified":"2019-01-16T14:20:07","modified_gmt":"2019-01-16T19:20:07","slug":"buried-alive-gainesville-firefighters-rescue-construction-worker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=16669","title":{"rendered":"Buried alive: Gainesville firefighters rescue construction worker"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gainesville firefighters rescued a construction worker at a Gainesville hospital who fell into a deep hole and was covered by dirt Thursday morning.<\/p>\n

Gainesville Fire Rescue crews used harnesses and ladders to get the man to safety.<\/p>\n

The incident was reported at 9:15 a.m. at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center on Southwest 16th Avenue. GFR Lt. Jeff Schuhmacher said the technical rescue team was among the responder crews.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s their specialty, so this was their call,\u201d Schuhmacher said. \u201cThey train a lot just for calls like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hole was about 30 feet across and 10 feet deep. The construction worker was completely covered by one to two feet of dirt and not visible from the top of the hole, GFR officials reported in a news release.<\/p>\n

Rescuers descended into the hole, mindful that the walls could collapse, and dug with shovels and hands to find the worker\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was conscious and alert when they took him to the hospital,\u201d Schuhmacher said. \u201cI talked to the paramedic in the ambulance, and they couldn\u2019t find any outward injuries on him. He should play the lottery.\u201d<\/p>\n