Pennsylvania Department of Transportation workers inspecting a tunnel Tuesday got lost in it—at least from the perspective of alarmed colleagues topside. The incident occurred during a routine check for erosion in a discharge channel in Edwardsville, in Luzerne County. Contact was lost, 911 called, and emergency personnel dispatched.
The employees underground were ultimately able to make their way out of the tunnels and wade through a creek.
"They were perfectly safe the whole time in there, but we couldn't hear them," said Jack Bonczewski with the Edwardsville Fire Department, talking to 2822 News. "So, we took the precautionary to be on the safe side. You know, they walked out of the tunnel. Everything was as scheduled on their part."
But they were "concerned." Bonczewski:
They're in a tunnel, no communications. That's why we brought the whole technical, Luzerne County Technical Rescue Team in. Big relief, everybody is safe. Everybody gets to go home tonight
A look at Google Street View shows a rather formidable-looking complex of spillways, concrete structures and tunnels. It's no Tokyo Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, but I wouldn't want to be in it.
Previously:
• Real-life secret tunnel digging video
• The longest tunnel in the world is about to shut down
• Never walk through the Rotherhithe tunnel
• Tiled tunnel under Belgian river 'staggeringly monotonous'
