This from Drew Smith:
Brief overview of Niles’ TRT incident:
17:10 RED Center dispatches initial call
17:12 dispatch of TR3 (MABAS Division 3 TRT squad) and all on-duty Division 3 TRT techs
18:10 TRT box requested for off-duty TRT techs
Worker was buried in the kneeing position. Earth covered him up to about his shoulders with one arm complexly buried and the other one free at or about head level.
Shoring occurred rather quickly. Digging the victim out was limited to one tech due to the small size of the hole.
Lin-Mar Towing assisted with their low pressure air bags which were used to fill on sloughed areas behind shoring.
Northfield PW sewer vac truck with Division 3 ResQ-Vac used. Northfield PW operators who are also FFs respond with this setup division-wide on trench calls.
Extrication completed about 19:05
At the point the worker was positioned, the depth of the hole was measured at six feet from surface level to bottom of area worker was removed from.
About 20 TRT techs supported the operation along with 5 ambulances, 7 engines (includes COQ), 5 squads, 2 truck companies, and several staff vehicles. Most of the box fire companies were held in staging.
On September 27, 2006 a similar incident occurred in 8300 block of Octavia in Niles at about the same time of day.
Drew Smith
Deputy Chief, Prospect Heights Fire Protection District
