A Salinas construction worker trapped by an earthslide that buried him up to his waist near Lovers Point in Pacific Grove was rescued by firefighters Thursday afternoon.Gabriel Godines of Salinas, an employee of James Somerville Inc. construction company, was digging a wall footing trench below the Recreation Trail on Ocean View Boulevard near Sea Palm Avenue when the ledge above him gave way shortly after 1 p.m., trapping him in dirt and rock, said Pacific Grove Fire Chief Andrew Miller.
In addition to Pacific Grove police and fire units, firefighters from Pebble Beach, Monterey, Salinas and the North County Fire District, as well as state Parks Department lifeguards, responded to the scene.
An aluminum extension ladder was lowered to where Godines was trapped, and firefighters first shored up the ledge behind him with timbers to prevent more dirt and rock from coming down on him, Miller said.
Once that was accomplished, rescue workers, racing against an incoming tide, plied shovels to free Godines, accomplishing the rescue about 3:30 p.m. Lifeguards had donned swim fins and wetsuits in case a water rescue was needed.
(DAVID ROYAL/The Herald)
Godines was able to stand once freed from the slide, but was then strapped to a stretcher, given oxygen and an intravenous feed, and taken to an area hospital by ambulance.
Out-of-area firefighters brought urban rescue units to the scene to provide specialized tools and rescuers — an example, Miller said, of the kind of cooperation and coordination the city hopes to maintain with its Dec. 16 merger with the Monterey Fire Department.
Story by Monterey County Herald
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