Crime and Public Safety | Gas worker rescued after 30 to 40 foot fall into abandoned well in Hesperia backyard

Firefighters rescued an injured gas company worker in Hesperia on Monday, March 3, after he fell into a 30 to 40-foot pit inside a backyard.

The man was only a few feet away from his co-workers when soil and rock covering the pit gave way beneath him, causing him to fall into what was believed to be an abandoned well or sinkhole in a backyard on the 16400 block of Orange Street. Despite falling roughly 30 to 40 feet, the worker remained alert when firefighters responded shortly after 9:15 a.m.

Firefighters conducted a technical rescue using a rope system and hauled the worker to safety in under two hours, the San Bernardino County Fire Department said.

The worker remained awake throughout the rescue and was transported by helicopter to a regional trauma facility. Details on the extent of his injuries were not released.

Hesperia Road between Sultana and Yucca Streets and the adjacent BNSF railroad tracks were temporarily closed to minimize ground vibrations and additional disturbances during the rescue, officials said.