A worker survived a rough, unexpected ride through the roaring underground waters of the Omaha sewer system Friday morning, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
The incident occurred when two workers, usually responsible for cleaning the sewer system, instead got swept into it, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
One worker was quickly rescued thanks to a tether while another, lacking a tether, drifted deep into the city’s sewer system, bolstered by heavy rains, the outlet reported.
The worker’s unfortunate journey continued as rescuers and municipal sewer division staff reviewed possible drift locations including the Missouri River, where a boat remained on standby, according to the outlet.
Rescuers then combed city streets, paying close attention to manholes and sewer routes as they searched for the worker, the outlet reported.
Man swept into Omaha manhole during heavy rain was washed down pipes for a mile before rescue https://t.co/trnFmsGsTh pic.twitter.com/ix1cS4w8Nm
— The Independent (@Independent) July 8, 2023
A Public Works Department superintendent then heard yelling close to the river, although visual contact remained unestablished, the outlet reported.
Firefighters eventually rescued the worker, who miraculously escaped the roaring underground waters and kept his head afloat, according to the outlet.
“The pipes get progressively bigger the closer you get to the river,” Omaha Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Jason Bradley told WOWT, explaining how pipe widths eventually aided rescue efforts. (RELATED: Missing 8-Year-Old Boy Rescued After Surviving Over A Week In The Sewers)
The worker traveled around 1.2 miles underground before his rescue near the Missouri River and a pumping station, the outlet reported.