Latest news with #RonnieVillanueva
Mint
10-07-2025
- General
- Mint
Miracle! All 31 workers rescued in Los Angeles tunnel collapse
Thirty-one construction workers miraculously escaped a collapsed tunnel in Los Angeles Wednesday night after climbing over a 12-foot mountain of debris. Trapped 400 feet underground and six miles from the only exit, the men scrambled through loose soil caused by 'squeezing ground', a dangerous soil deformation that partially collapsed a newly built section. Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva praised their courage, saying that the workers made it through the most treacherous part themselves before rescue teams drove them to safety via tunnel vehicles. Aerial footage showed workers being hoisted in yellow cages as families wept with relief below. Remarkably, no one suffered major injuries despite the terrifying cave-in. Arally Orozco was at church when her son texted that the tunnel housing her three brothers had collapsed. 'It was sad and scary. We feared the worst,' she shared. After an agonizing hour, her brother called crying: 'He told me he thought he was going to die underground' after squeezing through tight spaces to escape. At the scene, Mayor Karen Bass embraced rescued workers, calling the outcome 'a victory' after racing there expecting tragedy. Supervisor Janice Hahn noted the workers were 'shaken up' but relieved, immediately calling loved ones upon surfacing. The sanitation district's $700 million project, critical for replacing earthquake-vulnerable wastewater tunnels, is now paused indefinitely. The 18-foot-wide tunnel, part of LA's Clearwater Project, stretches beneath Wilmington's industrial zone near oil refineries. Engineers confirm the 400-foot depth near the shoreline created 'very wet conditions,' demanding specialized designs for water pressure. The new tunnel aims to replace 60- and 80-year-old wastewater pipes at risk of earthquakes, serving over five million residents. Water pressure risks: Coastal depth added complexity, requiring designs for both soil and water pressure "Squeezing ground" failure: Soil instability caused the collapse near the boring machine Months-long probe: Investigators must first stabilize the tunnel before finding 'the first element that broke", as per reports.
Toronto Sun
10-07-2025
- General
- Toronto Sun
All 31 workers reach safety after collapse inside Los Angeles industrial tunnel
Published Jul 10, 2025 • 3 minute read This image taken from footage provided by KABC/ABC7 Los Angeles shows first responders and rescued workers after a tunnel collapsed on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Los Angeles. (KABC/ABC7 Los Angeles via AP) AP LOS ANGELES (AP) — All 31 construction workers who were far inside a huge industrial tunnel being dug under Los Angeles made it to safety after a partial collapse, an outcome officials called a blessing after they initially feared much worse. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The workers were 400 feet (121 meters) underground and as much as 6 miles (9.6 kilometres) inside from the only entrance when the cave-in Wednesday evening threatened to trap them on the far side of the tunnel's boring machine, said Michael Chee, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. Fire Department Chief Ronnie Villanueva said the workers had to make it through the most treacherous part themselves, climbing over more than 12 feet (3.6 meters) of loose dirt and debris to reach the boring machine before rescuers could drive them to the opening of the nearly $700 million project, which is designed to carry treated wastewater to the Pacific Ocean. Aerial footage showed a crane hoisting workers out of the tunnel in a yellow cage. None had major injuries, authorities said. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The accident happened as workers were operating the boring machine, said Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager for the sanitation districts. 'A section that they have already built had squeezing ground and had a collapse, a partial collapse,' he told reporters. Arally Orozco said she was at church when her phone started buzzing with calls and her son texted her the news of the tunnel where her three brothers worked. 'It was sad and scary,' she said in Spanish. 'We feared the worst.' After an hour, she managed to get through to one brother who told her they had to squeeze through a tight space to get out. 'My brother was crying,' she said. 'He told me he thought he was going to die underground.' The collapse in the tunnel, which is 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide and will be 7 miles (11.3 kilometres) long, happened under the Wilmington neighbourhood, a heavily industrial area filled with oil refineries just north of the Port of Los Angeles. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Working so near the shoreline and at such a depth means crews could have been contending with very wet conditions that add challenges during design and digging, said Maria Mohammed, president of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California. 'You would design not just for the pressure from the soil and the weight of the soil, you have to design for the pressure from the water,' said Mohammed, whose group is not involved in the Wilmington project. The cause is under investigation, Chee said. Work will not resume until they can figure out what happened and determine that it's safe to proceed, authorities said. Mohammed said that investigation could take months, if not longer. It will take some time just to make the tunnel safe for investigators to enter. Once inside, they'll try to determine where the collapse originated, she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It all comes down to, what's the first element that broke?' Mohammed said Thursday. 'Usually a collapse is a propagating thing. One thing fails and it takes other things with it. So you would try to figure out, of the broken elements, which one broke first.' City Councilmember Tim McOsker praised the workers for keeping cool heads. 'This is a highly technical, difficult project. And they knew exactly what to do. They knew how to secure themselves,' he said. 'Thank goodness for the good people that were down in the tunnel.' Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference that she met with some of the workers. 'I know when we raced down here I was so concerned that we were going to find tragedy. Instead, what we found was victory,' Bass said. 'All of the men that were in that tunnel, rescued, up, safe.' Toronto & GTA Canada Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA World
ARN News Center
10-07-2025
- Climate
- ARN News Center
All 31 workers escape uninjured after tunnel collapse in Los Angeles, officials say
All 31 workers escaped without injuries from a collapsed industrial tunnel in Los Angeles' Wilmington area, after scrambling over a tall pile of loose underground soil, city officials said late on Wednesday. The trapped workers were shuttled back to the tunnel's entry point, more than 8 km away from the affected area, after they escaped the collapsed section and met several coworkers in the unaffected part of the tunnel, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement. The tunnel, which had a diameter of 5.5 m, trapped 27 individuals, while four workers entered the damaged section to assist with rescue, LA Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva told reporters in a media briefing. "The workers had to climb through debris. They had to make themselves out through," before they were assisted out, Villanueva said. Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, told the briefing that a section of the already built part of the tunnel experienced squeezing ground conditions and partially collapsed. "LAFD has just reported that all workers who were trapped in the tunnel in Wilmington are now out and accounted for. I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped. Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a post on X. The collapsed section was a part of the Los Angeles County's Clearwater Project, where the new 7-mile tunnel is being built to upgrade the region's sewer system, officials added.
Dubai Eye
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Dubai Eye
All 31 workers escape uninjured after tunnel collapse in Los Angeles, officials say
All 31 workers escaped without injuries from a collapsed industrial tunnel in Los Angeles' Wilmington area, after scrambling over a tall pile of loose underground soil, city officials said late on Wednesday. The trapped workers were shuttled back to the tunnel's entry point, more than 8 km away from the affected area, after they escaped the collapsed section and met several coworkers in the unaffected part of the tunnel, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement. The tunnel, which had a diameter of 5.5 m, trapped 27 individuals, while four workers entered the damaged section to assist with rescue, LA Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva told reporters in a media briefing. "The workers had to climb through debris. They had to make themselves out through," before they were assisted out, Villanueva said. Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, told the briefing that a section of the already built part of the tunnel experienced squeezing ground conditions and partially collapsed. "LAFD has just reported that all workers who were trapped in the tunnel in Wilmington are now out and accounted for. I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped. Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a post on X. The collapsed section was a part of the Los Angeles County's Clearwater Project, where the new 7-mile tunnel is being built to upgrade the region's sewer system, officials added.
RTHK
10-07-2025
- General
- RTHK
31 escape scot-free in wake of LA tunnel escape
31 escape scot-free in wake of LA tunnel escape Emergency vehicles are on standby near the site of the partial tunnel collapse amid rescue efforts. Photo: AFP All 31 workers escaped without injuries from a collapsed industrial tunnel in Los Angeles' Wilmington area after scrambling over a tall pile of loose underground soil, city officials have said. The trapped workers were shuttled back to the tunnel's entry point, more than eight kilometres away from the affected area, after they escaped the collapsed section and met several coworkers in the unaffected part of the tunnel, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said. The tunnel, which had a diameter of 5.5 metres, trapped 27 individuals, while four workers entered the damaged section to assist with rescue, LA Fire chief Ronnie Villanueva said. "The workers had to climb through debris. They had to make themselves out through," before they were assisted out, Villanueva said. Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, said a section of the already built part of the tunnel experienced squeezing ground conditions and partially collapsed. "LAFD has just reported that all workers who were trapped in the tunnel in Wilmington are now out and accounted for. I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped. Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately," Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass said. The collapsed section was a part of the Los Angeles County's Clearwater Project, where the new 11km tunnel is being built to upgrade the region's sewer system, officials added. (Reuters)
