Man rescued after being trapped for 3 days in Riverside drain pipe

Riverside police and fire departments responded Saturday to a call about a man trapped inside a drain tunnel, according to the Los Angeles Times. The man had crawled about 20 feet into an 18-inch diameter underground pipe that drains into a culvert and was unable to free himself.

The rescue took roughly two hours as crews assembled a technical rescue team and the necessary equipment. They also requested assistance from the Corona Urban Search and Rescue team and had to clear debris from the pipe before reaching the man.

The pipe runs below the surface near train tracks along Commerce and Cottage streets in Riverside. Police temporarily shut down the train tracks used by several lines during the rescue operation.

After being freed, the man was treated on scene for unspecified injuries and taken to a local hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. Riverside fire officials noted that calls about people trapped in pipes are very rare in their experience.