31 Construction Workers Rescued After Tunnel Collapse in Los Angeles’ Wilmington Neighborhood

LOS ANGELES, CA — Thirty-one construction workers were safely rescued late Wednesday night after a partial collapse occurred inside an underground industrial tunnel project in the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The incident took place just before 8 p.m., approximately 300 to 400 feet below the surface. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), a 12- to 15-foot mound of dirt separated several workers from the main group inside the 18-foot-wide tunnel shaft. Despite the obstruction, the workers managed to climb over the barrier and regroup with their colleagues.

The tunnel, currently under construction as part of the $630.5 million Los Angeles Effluent Outfall Tunnel project, had only one entry and access point—located five to six miles away from the collapse site. Workers took turns using shuttle carts to travel that distance before being hoisted to the surface by cranes around 10 p.m.

Officials have not yet determined the cause or exact scale of the collapse. No visible injuries were reported, though more than 100 emergency personnel were on site to evaluate the rescued crew members as they emerged.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass visited the scene, speaking with many of the workers shortly after their rescue. “I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped. Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately. You are LA’s true heroes,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The collapsed tunnel is a key part of the Los Angeles County Sanitation District’s Clearwater Project, designed to modernize critical wastewater infrastructure. Approved in April 2019, construction on the tunnel shaft began in 2020, with full-scale mining of the tunnel starting in January 2022. Once completed, the 7-mile tunnel will run from the Carson shaft site to Royal Palms Beach.

The project aims to replace aging sewer lines constructed in 1937 and 1958, improve earthquake resilience, and expand the wastewater system’s capacity to meet future demand.