Twentynine Palms man trapped in septic tank rescued

Twentynine Palms firefighters rescued an elderly man Saturday morning who fell into a septic tank and was trapped inside.

At approximately 07:30 on Saturday, firefighters received a report of a person trapped on the 2400 Block of Lear Ave.

Firefighters reported an elderly male had fallen through an open septic tank lid and landed approximately ten feet down, at the bottom of the pit.

Neighbors said they hadn’t been able to contact the man since Friday evening and were concerned. After searching around his property several times, neighbors discovered the man’s cane next to the septic tank lid and found that the man had, in fact, fallen into the tank.

Firefighters from Twentynine Palms, along with mutual aid assistance from the Combat Center Fire Department, made contact with the victim and immediately began providing medical assistance to the patient

Firefighters then set up a rescue system to aid in hoisting the man out of the tank. In all the rescue took about twenty minutes.

The patient was assessed and treated on scene for fall injuries and hypothermia, then transported via ambulance to a local hospital.

The Twentynine Palms Fire Department says open trenches and pits can be dangerous if left unmarked. Be sure to flag and/or block off any of these potential hazards to keep people aware.