The miner has spoken about the tragic experience when the sanitary tunnel collapses in Wilmington, instantly locking him and his 30 colleagues in.
Oraldo Orozco was one of 31 miners found unharmed on Wednesday, what some city authorities called a “miracle” rescue mission.
According to Orozco, more than 100 firefighters were on the scene as soon as the collapse was reported, but in the end, workers had no time to wait and were able to save themselves with the help of supervisors.
“I mean, we fought for our lives,” Orozco said about five hours after his shift. “Foreman ran out and told us to take shelter, but we really didn’t know what had happened.”
The workers were about six miles into the tunnel beneath the San Pedro area when the 18-foot wide tunnel partially collapsed behind them. The nearest exit is a few miles away.
Orozco said his first thought was, “Would I die here?
The crew acted fast and began to escape.
“The water could have already been about six feet of water, so we had to jump over,” Orozco said. “It was rocks, it was mud, it was rocks.”
Firefighters say when the loose stains fell, it was over 15 feet tall, leaving the man with a 3-foot escape route.
Orozco captured the moment with a photo showing workers squeezing narrow spaces as they climb the tiled rub. The crew were still walking about a mile and a half to the tram, so they carried the workers to the exit and lifted them up onto the ground using a yellow cage.
“It was the longest walk of my life,” Orozco said.
He added that he is not aware of news preparing to rescue the man and those desperately waiting for mass mobilization.
The search and rescue crews were on standby, but in the end the workers looked after each other and reached the exit. Oraldo thank the two supervisors who first ran to warn them.
“They are the real heroes who sacrificed their lives for us,” Orozco said.
The workers were raised in groups of eight using cranes at construction sites. NewsChopper captured the worker in peace as he returned to the surface.
The tunnel construction is part of the Clear Water Project, and according to MP Nanette Barragán, it is an investment that will help modernize wastewater infrastructure. The seven-mile tunnel is being built about 200 feet underground and is expected to end at Royal Palms Beach in San Pedro.
“CAL/OSHA has been notified of tunnel collapses that occurred in Wilmington and is actively investigating the incident. The investigation is currently underway, but additional details cannot be shared at this time. Please note that CAL/OSHA has issued citations for up to six months if violations of workplace safety regulations have been identified.
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