Rescuers save man trapped in 36-inch drainpipe in Southern California

A harrowing rescue unfolded amid sweltering temperatures as first responders in Ventura County worked to free a man from 36-inch drainpipe Sunday. 

Details are limited and it’s unclear how the man wound up trapped in the drainage pipe, but in a post to X, formerly Twitter, officials with the Ventura County Fire Department said crews worked in collaboration with the Oxnard fire and police departments during the rescue.  

“Utilizing the latest in robot technology, the Oxnard Police Department pinpointed the victim’s location, allowing our Urban Seach and Rescue Teams to safely extricate the individual,” VCFD said.  

Video footage of the rescue operation shows about a dozen first responders inside a hole dug around the corrugated drainpipe, with the pieces of pipe cutaway lying on a nearby pile of dirt.  

The male victim can be seen sitting up in the pipe moments before he struggles to standup and climb out with the help of firefighters.  

It is unclear how long the man had been trapped in the drainpipe and how the emergency came to the attention of rescuers.  

First responders were able to get the victim onto a rescue litter and pull him to a waiting stretcher.  

The man was lifted into a waiting ambulance and rushed to a nearby hospital in stable condition for further evaluation, authorities said.