Headlines

31 Workers Rescued After LA Industrial Tunnel Collapse

Published JUL 10 2025

Story

Above: Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters at the site of the tunnel collapse on July 9, 2025. Image credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

Thirty-one construction workers were safely rescued on Wednesday evening after the Los Angeles Effluent Outfall Tunnel Project partially collapsed in Wilmington at approximately 7:45 p.m.
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LACSD
The collapse created a mound of loose soil and debris more than 12 feet tall between the tunnel boring machine, which was located 5 miles from the entrance, and the workers, who were operating about 6 miles in and 400 feet underground.
Foxnews
Guardian
The workers were able to scramble over the debris pile to reach the tunnel boring machine, where they were transported back to the opening and lifted to the surface using a yellow cage hoisted by a crane, with aerial footage capturing the rescue operation.
KFOX
NPR
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) mobilized more than 100 LAFD responders, including specialist LAFD Urban Search and Rescue teams, in response to the incident, and confirmed that none of the 31 rescued workers were injured.
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In a press release, the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) stated that the cause of the collapse is currently under investigation, which will analyze “the safety, engineering, and structural integrity of the tunnel.”
LACSD
The tunnel is part of the nearly $700 million Clearwater Project, designed to modernize wastewater infrastructure, stretching 7 miles from Carson to Royal Palms Beach in San Pedro to replace aging systems built in 1937 and 1958.
NBC Bay Area
Foxnews
New York Post

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Thanks to the efforts of Los Angeles’ emergency services, a disaster has been averted. The LAFD and other first responders were quick to mobilize and mount a successful rescue operation, which returned every worker to the surface unharmed. Without their skill and expertise, there is no guarantee such a welcome outcome would have occurred.

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Narrative B

The partial tunnel collapse on Wednesday has potentially exposed serious faults with the Los Angeles Effluent Outfall Tunnel Project. The LACSD will conduct a thorough investigation to assess the cause of the cave-in and the integrity of the tunnel. In the meantime, work will be paused to ensure workers’ safety, which remains the LACSD’s highest priority.