Worker rescued from trench

Anne Arundel County emergency crews rescued a construction worker yesterday who injured his back after falling into a trench at a fiber optic cable work site in Annapolis.
The accident occurred about 11:30 a.m. after the worker fell into a hole that was about 7 feet square and 7 feet deep, said Lt. Frank Fennell of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department. It occurred near the eastbound ramp to U.S. 50 off Route 2 and West Street.
The 21-year-old told rescuers he heard his back snap when he landed in the pit, which had been dug to install a concrete cable junction box, Fennell said.
Because the sides of the dirt pit were unstable, it had to be shored up with sheets of plywood and metal braces before medics could safely descend into the pit and remove the injured worker using a backboard and stretcher.
"It took about two hours and a lot of staffing to do it," Fennell said.
He said blankets were used and heat was pumped into the pit to keep the man warm.
The worker, whose name was not released, was flown to Maryland Shock Trauma Center for treatment of nonlife-threatening injuries, Fennell said.