The Mercer Island Fire Department and crews from Kirkland, Redmond, Bellevue and Eastside Fire & Rescue rescued a worker involved in a complex construction accident on the afternoon of May 7 on residential property on 60th Avenue Southeast at the northwest end of Mercer Island.

A partially-collapsed, nine-foot deep dirt trench trapped the worker’s foot for almost four hours. The individual was transported in stable condition to Harborview Medical Center.

“The worksite was very narrow and confined, requiring rescue crews to proceed very cautiously, using a range of specialized equipment to perform the complicated extraction. A crew from the City’s Public Works Department was also instrumental in the successful outcome by providing assistance with a vacuum excavation truck normally used for underground pipe work,” reads a city press release. “The City offers its sincere appreciation to the agencies and many individuals who collaborated on this incident.”