Our Local Talent

[Btl_Dvr]

"Rescuers have freed a man trapped in a hole for more than two hours after the walls collapsed around him while he dug for historic bottles behind a house at Third and Nun streets.

Battalion Chief Tim Smith, of the Wilmington Fire Department, said the hole's collapse buried the man up to his waist, but he was alert and talking. When rescuers pulled him out at about 8:30 p.m., he gave them a thumbs up as they placed him in the back of an ambulance. It was not immediately clear whether he sustained injuries.

A witness, Nicole Barnes, said the man is her husband, 42-year-old Patrick Barnes.

She said he and a few of his friends had asked the property owners for permission to dig in the backyard of the house at 402 S. Third St. in Wilmington's historic district.

Barnes said they started digging in the yard about 11 a.m., and the hole, which was about 9-feet-deep, collapsed about 6 p.m."

 

[epackage]

Happy to hear he's ok, thank God it wasn't Chris Whitehurst, another Wilmington digger...

 

[marjorie040]

Any tips on how to avoid this?
Regards,

 

[cyberdigger]

Did he get any bottles??

 

[baltbottles]

What I don't get is that if he was buried up to his waist and his buddies where there why didn't they dig him out? What was the need to call the fire department?

Chris

 

[epackage]

ORIGINAL: baltbottles

I think this was in Wilmington Ohio.... What I don't get is that if he was buried up to his waist and his buddies where there why didn't they dig him out? What was the need to call the fire department?

Chris

Nope...NC

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20110721/ARTICLES/110729950/-1/news01?Title=Man-thanks-rescuers-after-being-pulled-from-hole-in-Wilmington

 

[baltbottles]

Interesting must have beena deep pit for the area or something then.

Chris

 

[RICKJJ59W]

ORIGINAL: marjorie040

Any tips on how to avoid this?
Regards,

Yes --- always dig all of the fill out to the clay walls as you go down.The fill is what gets dangerous when you have it hanging over you,or when you dig half of the privy and bend down to get a bottle (((Woooooshhhh))) where did he go????
I have never heard of the (clay walls) caving in and killing someone,not that it never happened,but I never heard it.

Dig smart and you wont be this guy []

 

[bostaurus]

I think I heard something, maybe in the news story, about sand. Is it ever safe to dig if you live in a place with very sandy soil? I mean they had to dig it in the first place so it has to be possible. Is the soil type something you guys take into consideration?

 

[RICKJJ59W]

ORIGINAL: bostaurus

I think I heard something, maybe in the news story, about sand. Is it ever safe to dig if you live in a place with very sandy soil? I mean they had to dig it in the first place so it has to be possible. Is the soil type something you guys take into consideration?

I never really dug where sand was prevalent ,I have dug privy's with a ton of sand as a cap,but never sandy soil. So I can't say it is more dangerous,I would think it would be because its sand,and sand moves easier then solid clay earth.