Context:

Twenty-seven workers in Los Angeles made a miraculous escape from a collapsed tunnel by climbing over a 12- to 15-foot pile of loose soil and reaching the tunnel's only entrance five miles away. Four additional workers entered the tunnel post-collapse to assist in rescue efforts, and all 31 workers emerged safely with only minor injuries. Over 100 rescue workers from the Los Angeles Fire Department were dispatched to the site, located in the Wilmington neighborhood, where the collapse occurred within a $630 million wastewater management project. The cause of the collapse remains undetermined, but it happened in a high-pressure section of the tunnel while a boring machine was in operation elsewhere. Construction on the tunnel, which is part of a project to replace old wastewater tunnels from the 1930s, has been paused indefinitely pending an investigation into the collapse's cause.

Dive Deeper:

• The workers managed to escape by navigating over a significant mound of loose soil within the tunnel, reaching the entrance located five miles away, and were then transported to safety in batches using a tunnel vehicle.

• Four additional workers entered the tunnel after the collapse to assist their trapped colleagues, resulting in all 31 individuals emerging without major injuries, as confirmed by officials.

• The Los Angeles Fire Department quickly responded by sending over 100 rescue workers to the Wilmington neighborhood, approximately 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, ensuring that no one was left unaccounted for.

• The tunnel collapse left a substantial pile of debris inside the excavation site, which was part of a larger construction project designed to transport treated wastewater to the ocean, replacing outdated infrastructure.

• The collapse's cause is still under investigation, with interim Fire Department Chief Ronnie Villanueva noting that the area where the collapse occurred was under high ground pressure while a boring machine was being operated elsewhere.

• The tunnel is part of a $630 million project expected to be completed by 2027, but construction has been halted indefinitely as authorities work to understand the collapse's cause and ensure future safety.

• Mayor Karen Bass expressed relief that the incident did not result in tragedy, emphasizing the fortunate outcome for the workers and the city of Los Angeles.