The man who got trapped in a 10-foot Howell yesterday was buried up to his shoulders with dirt, police say.

At approximately 3:25 P.M. the Howell Township Police Department Communications center received a 911 call reporting a male subject that fell into a hole and was trapped on Carmine Way.

Howell Township Police officers arrived on scene to find a twenty-six year old male victim trapped in a hole approximately 10 feet into the ground. The victim was surrounded by dirt up to shoulders. The first responding police officers (Officers James Conaty, Richard Robertiello and Joseph Sulewski) quickly made a barrier of used construction debris from the area to shield the victims head and face from more dirt collapsing around him, allowing him to breathe.

There was a language barrier between the victim and rescuers and Howell Police EMS EMT Valerie Deano was able to keep the victim calm and communicate with him in Spanish.

Howell Township Police Sergeant Paul Mazzeo, who is a trench collapse and rescue specialist with Brick Township Technical Rescue and New Jersey Task Force 1 (A Federal FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team) arrived on scene and immediately began shoring up the hole. Sergeant Mazzeo requested a trench rescue unit from the Asbury Park Fire Department and the Brick Township Technical Rescue Team to respond to the scene.

After approximately three hours, the victim was successfully extricated from the collapse allowing him to walk out of the collapse without injury. He was assessed on scene by first aid and paramedics. The victim was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center as a precaution. Two rescuers were treated at the scene for minor injuries related to the rescue. All responding units had a direct impact with preventing a fatality during this incident. It was reported that the victim was an employee for” Solid Concrete Walls” a company that was digging a footing for a deck in the rear of the property when the collapse occurred.

An investigation into the incident was turned over to members of OSHA.

The following agencies were requested to the scene to assist in the rescue; the Howell Township Police Department, Howell Police EMS, Howell Township First Aid Squad, the Freewood Acres Fire Department, Southard Fire Department, Howell Township Department of Public Works, Monmouth County Public Works, Howell Township Office of Emergency Management, Atlantic Health Paramedics.