Lucky Men

Note that one was buried in the initial collapse while two almost died while trying to rescue the first.

Men survive trench collapse

Three men escaped Thursday afternoon when a trench collapsed on them at a Phenix City construction site.

The Rusco Plumbing Co. employees, who were digging the trench for water lines at Misty Forest subdivision off Alabama 169, apparently had minor injuries after the soft soil trapped them, said Mike Hanson, assistant chief of the Phenix City Fire Department.

Two of the men were taken to The Medical Center in Columbus; the third man, crusted with dirt, assisted in recovery efforts and was not injured.

The uninjured worker told Phenix City police Cpl. Robert Lambert that the initial collapse covered one man; the other two were trying to free him when another part of the trench fell on them, he said.