A major rescue operation has been launched after a tunnel collapsed in Los Angeles, with dozens of people inside it.
More than 30 construction workers were rescued in a dramatic late-night operation in Wilmington, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, on Wednesday night.
The collapse occurred deep underground during work on a $630 million taxpayer-funded sewage infrastructure project.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) deployed all of its Urban Search and Rescue teams to the scene around 8 p.m.
Emergency crews raced to free the trapped workers beneath hundreds of feet of earth.
According to officials, the collapse happened along the Los Angeles Effluent Outfall Tunnel.
The tunnel is a seven-mile-long, 18-foot-diameter project commissioned by the LA County Sanitation District.
NBC Los Angeles reported that 31 workers were eventually extracted from the tunnel in coordinated groups using a crane and a cage elevator system known as a “bird cage.”
By 9 p.m., all personnel had been accounted for.
Amazingly, no injuries were reported.
Paramedics on site cleared each worker after evaluation.
The workers had reportedly managed to climb over a 12 to 15-foot mound of collapsed debris to reach a safer portion of the tunnel.
From there, they navigated more than five miles underground to the only access point available, the construction shaft, where they were hoisted to the surface.
Flatiron Dragados, the prime contractor on the $630.5 million tunneling project, confirmed on its website that the operation was taking place 450 feet below ground level.
The project is part of a larger wastewater management overhaul set to be completed by 2027.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass praised the emergency responders, writing on X:
“I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped.
“Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately.
“You are L.A.’s true heroes.”
California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis also weighed in:
“Deeply grateful for the swift, courageous response by @LAFD and LA’s first responders who rescued all the workers trapped in the Wilmington tunnel collapse.
“Over 100 personnel responded.
“Your quick action saved lives. Thank you.”
Despite the successful rescue, serious questions remain about the cause of the collapse.
Officials with the LA County Sanitation District say a full investigation is underway, but have not offered a timeline for when findings will be released.
The tunneling phase of the project was supposed to be completed this year.
Whether this setback will delay the 2027 completion date remains to be seen.
As California continues pouring billions into massive infrastructure projects, critics are calling for greater oversight, especially after a near-tragedy that could have claimed dozens of lives.
Accountability for contractors and local officials may soon become part of the broader conversation as investigations unfold.
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