An industrial tunnel collapsed in LA’s Wilmington neighbourhood on Wednesday, as per local US reports. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said 31 workers were rescued from the impacted site. The incident was reported just before 8 pm near the intersection of South Figueroa Street and Q Street.

Workers occupying the tunnel were located 300-400 feet beneath the surface. According to the LAFD’s statement, the collapse happened up to six miles away from the only access point of the tunnel, which is still a work in progress. As part of a $630 million wastewater management project commissioned by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District. The project is poised to be completed by 2027.

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Over 100 LAFD first responders were assigned to take on the rescue efforts. Authorities used a metal compartment lifted by a crane to extricate the workers inside the tunnel, as per a Sky5 footage.

Over an hour after the tunnel collapse report, all 31 workers trapped inside had been safely rescued. Upon paramedics’ analysis, fortunately no injuries were reported on the scene.

The circumstances leading up to the LA tunnel collapse are yet to be clarified.

Mayor Karen Bass hails first responders ‘LA’s true heroes’

“LAFD has just reported that all workers who were trapped in the tunnel in Wilmington are now out and accounted for,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on X. Sharing a video of her interaction with the rescue team, she added, “Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately. You are L.A.’s true heroes.”

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LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn also took to her social media profile to inform people that she was in Wilmington “where a partial tunnel collapse briefly trapped 30 workers earlier tonight.”

She continued, “But thankfully, every single one of them is safely out and accounted for… I’m thankful to the more than 100 @LAFD personnel who responded.”

This is a breaking story. More Information will be added soon…