OXFORD, MI — A 50-year-old construction worker is alive after being pulled from a trench collapse in Oxford Township, where he spent more than four hours trapped during a sewer project rescue. Fire Chief Matt Majestic said the man was buried from about the waist down but remained conscious and able to talk with firefighters while crews worked to free him.

The rescue unfolded Tuesday afternoon at the Brab Dewey subdivision, where workers were installing sewer lines. Majestic said the man was walking beside the trench when one wall gave way and he slid into the excavation. A trench box nearby likely kept the situation from becoming even more serious, and no one else at the site was injured.

How the trench collapse happened at the Brab Dewey subdivision

Officials said the incident began around 3 p.m. Tuesday, when the worker was moving alongside the trench at the construction site. Firefighters were called at about 3:45 p.m. to the subdivision after the collapse left him pinned in place. The worker became trapped next to the trench box, which helped support the area around him.

Majestic said the ground conditions made the rescue especially difficult. The soil was a mix of sand, rocks, and gravel, which added weight and instability as crews tried to reach the man. Because of that, firefighters first had to stabilize the trench with panels before they could safely remove material around him. The situation required a slow, careful approach to avoid another collapse.

Firefighters kept talking to him while crews stabilized the trench

Throughout the rescue, firefighters maintained verbal contact with the trapped worker. Majestic said the man was in good spirits and was able to move his toes while crews continued their work. That communication helped responders monitor his condition as the operation stretched into the evening.

After the trench was secured, a vacuum truck was brought in to remove loose soil around the worker. Majestic described the effort as “all hands on deck,” with firefighters and rescue specialists working together to clear the dirt in stages. The goal was not just to reach the man, but to do it without triggering another collapse in the already unstable trench.

Dozens of responders joined the rescue from across the region

The Oxford Fire Department asked for help from the Oakland County technical rescue team, and the call quickly grew into a large mutual-aid response. Majestic said surrounding departments also sent personnel, along with a technical rescue team from the western part of the region. In all, he estimated that between 75 and 100 responders, and possibly more, took part.

That size of response reflects how dangerous trench rescues can become once soil shifts around a trapped person. Majestic said the extra manpower and equipment were essential for stabilizing the area, removing debris, and keeping the operation moving safely. The rescue remained active well into the evening as teams worked through each stage.

The worker walked out on his own before being flown to trauma care

At about 8:05 p.m., more than four hours after firefighters were first called to the scene, the man was finally removed from the trench. Majestic said he insisted on walking up the ladder out of the excavation once he was freed. Even though he appeared to be in good condition, responders took extra precautions because of the length of time he had been trapped in the soil.

The man was then flown by helicopter to a trauma center for further evaluation. Majestic said firefighters were concerned about possible complications tied to prolonged entrapment, including muscle compression and circulation problems. The worker was identified as being from the Swartz Creek area.

MIOSHA review expected after the sewer project accident

Majestic said the fire department notified the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration within 15 to 20 minutes of arriving on scene. He said the incident is expected to be reviewed as a workplace injury, and he expects the agency to carry out its own investigation. No one else was hurt in the collapse.

The sewer project had started about a week earlier, according to Majestic, as part of a broader effort to install sewer service throughout the neighborhood. Many homes in the area had relied on septic systems before the work began. Crews were still expected to spend time safely removing equipment and demobilizing the site, which Majestic said could keep the area closed for some time.

Why officials say the rescue showed the value of technical teams

Majestic praised the agencies and organizations that answered the call, saying the rescue demonstrated why technical rescue resources matter. He said the coordinated response gave crews the tools and personnel they needed to carry out a difficult operation without making the collapse worse. The effort, he said, depended on mutual aid and specialized equipment working together.

By the end of the night, the outcome was the one responders had been working toward from the start: the trapped worker was out, alive, and moving on to additional medical evaluation. Majestic summed up the feeling at the scene simply, saying, “Luckily, he’s out and alive.”

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