Worker rescued after 20-foot fall into cement tank in Los Angeles

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A worker was rescued by crews after he fell 20 feet into a cement tank at a construction site in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said the worker fell into the confined space at about 2:20 p.m. at 755 South Spring Street.

The worker, described as a man in his 30s, was initially conscious and talking, but became unresponsive, according to officials.

Crews described the structure as a concrete water cistern for a pump and said the opening was about 42-inches square in size.

Due to the size of the opening, fire officials said it was a difficult operation to pull the man to safety.

"It was very narrow. We could get one paramedic down that shaft and the paramedic went down there and started working, getting him bandaged up. We were here over an hour so we had to rotate that paramedic out, bring another one down and continue the work," David Ortiz with the Los Angeles Fire Department explained.

The fire department said 100 firefighters responded to aid in the rescue operation. After more than an hour, the man was pulled to safety and rushed to the hospital.

His condition was not released by officials.

The fire department stated the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would be investigating the incident.