SANDWICH, MASS. (WHDH) - Emergency crews rushed to the rescue of an 18-year-old who became trapped up to his chest in sand while digging a hole on a beach in Sandwich on Tuesday.
Crews responding to a report of a person trapped in the area of Phillips Road around 4 p.m. found the teen trapped with sand collapsing around him.
Witness Jeannie Hanlon said, “It was a pretty scary thing to know that somebody could really get hurt.”
“And they were all just digging and digging, and then they all just pulled him out because I didn’t want it to collapse, so that’s why they were trying to make it level and then they just slid him … and got them to safety.”
Responding agencies estimate it took between 30 minutes and an hour to free the teen, who had been in the hole for about 45 minutes before he was rescued.
He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he is expected to be OK.
Witnesses commended the coordinated effort from all first responders on scene.
“It was really impressive watching everybody just come together and dig and get this kid out,” Hanlon said.
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