Construction worker in critical condition after San Mateo trench collapse

A construction worker in San Mateo was injured Thursday morning when a trench he was working in collapsed, a fire department spokesperson said.

The man in his 30s was working on the private property of a residence in the 300 block of West 41st Avenue when he became partially buried in at least 10 feet of dirt just before 9:30 a.m., according to Deputy Fire Chief Robert Marshall with the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department.

A construction team was on the property working on the sewer lines.

Rescue crews spent nearly an hour getting the man out and had to bring in special equipment, Marshall said. Extractions like these are tricky, he said, because the safety of the crews must also be monitored and the trench stabilized before rescue.

Crews shut down 41st Avenue from Hacienda Street to Alameda de las Pulgas after the accident as the fire department attempted to initiate an airlift for the man, but foggy conditions impeded that idea and he was instead taken to a hospital via ambulance.

Marshall said he appeared to be in critical condition when he was removed from the rubble.