Man swept 1.6km through sewer after falling into manhole
Firefighters rescued two men who fell into a manhole during heavy rain in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday, including one who was washed about 1.6km through sewer pipes before getting trapped behind a metal grate.
The men, who were workers for a private contractor, Ace Pipe Cleaning, were swept into a manhole near the Old Market just after 9am local time, the Omaha World-Herald quoted Lt. Neal Bonacci of the Omaha Police Department as saying.
One of the men, who was tethered to a safety system, was quickly pulled out.
Firefighters look for one of two men swept into manhole during a rainstorm in downtown Omaha. AP
A large-scale rescue effort ensued for the other, who was apparently not tethered. He was found around 10:20am.
The 41-year-old man had extricated himself from the water, but was found behind a metal grate covering a culvert.
An Omaha Fire Department crew cut the grate to free him, Assistant Fire Chief Jason Bradley told the newspaper.
He was taken to the Nebraska Medical Centre. His name and condition were not immediately released.
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