Man rescued after spending 2 days in 16-inch underground pipe

ANTIOCH, Calif. (KMPH) — A man is back home after a complex and risky mission to save him from an underground storm drain in California where he says he’d been stuck for two days, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District told FOX26.

Sunday evening, spokesperson Steve Hill said people called 911 after hearing the man call out from underground in Antioch.

“It’s a good distance away from where people would’ve been walking, but somehow people heard him,” said Hill. “It was loud, there was wind, there’s traffic – it was impressive that they heard him. It’s somewhat miraculous.”

Hill said the man didn’t fall in but rather was there of his own volition.

From what the authorities could tell, it seemed the man had crawled through the pipe for some time. Rescuers weren’t sure of his exact entry point, but said it was likely fairly far away from where he ultimately got stuck.

[RELATED: Two boys stuck in storm drain rescued by emergency crews]

The spot rescuers found him was 15 feet underground. The pipe was just 16 inches wide. Hill explained the man eventually reached a point crowded with debris and found himself stuck, unable to move forward or backward.

That same debris proved a major hassle for rescuers, who had to use heavy equipment like excavators to clear the rubble out before they could get to the man. It took a 50-person crew a total of 3.5 hours to get him out, safety officials said.

The man is in his mid-30s. He told rescuers he’d been stuck in the storm drain for two days. Hill said they have no way to confirm that exact timeline, but did mention he showed signs of having been without food or water for an extended period.

The man was evaluated on scene and showed no signs of injury but was taken to the hospital Sunday night for evaluation just in case.

So, why was the man there in the first place? “We probably won’t ever know,” Hill told FOX26.

Hill wasn’t sure whether the man will face criminal charges for entering the storm drain but said he would check on that and get back to FOX26.