Equipment operator trapped under dirt and rocks for 15 hours in Maury County

MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) – Trapped under dirt and rock for nearly 15 hours – that’s the nightmare an equipment operator experienced in Maury County Tuesday when a flint pit collapsed onto a backhoe and the operator it buried him completely.

“In over 20 years, this was the first incident like this with a large direct landslide operation covering someone like this,” said Deputy Chief Richard Schatz of the Maury County Fire Department.

In total, this call was unique for the department. Crews worked tirelessly to free the man trapped under 10 feet of flint in his backhoe.

“It’s red dirt. He was working to back load a truck. It was his own dump truck because nobody else was there, and it completely covered his backhoe,” Schatz said.

After the pit collapsed, there was only a small open area where the man’s head and arm were.

“There was an empty space about 5 feet deep and 6 inches in circumference,” said Luke Greenwell, chief of the special operations division.

These first responders mentioned that no training or class could have prepared them for this rescue. You just had to think outside the box, or in this case, the well.

“We had heavy equipment moving the vast majority of the dirt. We had to get the dirt out of the workstation from where it was. Brigade dirt operations meant handing out buckets and getting the dirt off the person” , Schatz said of the rescue efforts.

The fire department says it’s a miracle he came out unharmed after being buried for 15 hours. They said it’s all because all departments worked together. Lewis County and Hohenwald County Fire Departments also attended along with private parties.

“God was watching over him, and he’s definitely lucky to be alive,” Schatz said.

Authorities are advising people doing similar work to make sure they notify someone of their activities and whereabouts.