Update: Man Pinned Under Construction Equipment In Critical Condition

Seven emergency units and 22 rescuers spent an hour trying to rescue a man after an accident at an Upper Valley construction site Wednesday.

An El Paso Water Utilities worker was at the bottom of a 20-foot trench helping to position a large and heavy piece of equipment called a safety box that was being lowered into a ditch when the accident happened.

“What happened was he was unhooking the chains that were used to lower the safety box in and when he did that the box shifted and pinned him between the backhoe and the safety box,” said El Paso Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Hiett.

Officials said the 26-year-old man, whose identity hasn’t been released, was able to free himself from the equipment.

Rescuers spent a little more than an hour stabilizing the man and finally using a stretcher tied to the very backhoe that pinned him to lift him out of the ditch.

Officials said with situations like these, emergency crews have to be especially careful that the same things that injured the man, doesn’t hurt them.

And further collapse of the ditch on rescuers was also a concern.

“You want to make sure your safety systems are in place. The reason why he was able to get out so quickly and got the attention that he got is because the safety box was in place at the time that we arrived,” said Hiett.

ABC-7 asked Hiett who was responsible for the incident. He said it was just an accident and doesn’t believe anyone was to blame.

El Paso Water Utilities spokeswoman Christina Montoya said the man is at a local hospital in critical condition.

Slideshow:Rescuers rush to save worker.