A man is rescued after he was injured while working underground on Auckland's massive Central Interceptor project.
A man hurt when he became trapped between a sheet pile and a beam while working six metres underground on Auckland’s $1.2 billion giant wastewater pipe has been found to have suffered only minor injuries, Watercare says.
A sheet pile is similar to a retaining wall.
The construction worker was initially thought to have been seriously injured in the incident just before 9am at the Haverstock Rd, Sandringham site of the Watercare Central Intercepor project to build a massive tunnel between central Auckland and the Māngere wastewater treatment plant.
The subcontractor was working inside a six-metre-deep concrete chamber and, with a medic dangling by his side, was put on a stretcher and lifted out of the chamber by a crane. He was then taken by Hato Hone St John Ambulance to Auckland City Hospital.
It was welcome news the man’s injuries were not as serious as first thought, Watercare chief programme delivery officer Shayne Cunis said.
“We are relieved our worker is not seriously injured and we’d like to thank emergency services for their quick response. Safety remains our first priority and we will be investigating this incident.”
The site has now been closed for the rest of the day.
Hato Hone St John sent an ambulance, two rapid response vehicles and a manager after the alarm was raised at 8.55am.
Police and seven fire appliances also went to the scene, where construction workers in high-vis outfits and hard hats could be seen sheltering from the rain.
They were told at the time a person was trapped under a steel pole six to seven metres underground, Fire and Emergency shift manager Hayley Prince said.
A man working on Auckland's Central Interceptor project had to be rescued. Photo / Dean Purcell
A man was stuck underground while working on Auckland's Central Interceptor. Photo / Jaime Lyth
WorkSafe had been notified, and Watercare would also be investigating, Cunis said earlier today.
“The health and safety of our staff and contractors is our number one priority and we will be thoroughly investigating this incident.”
WorkSafe was making “initial inquiries”, a spokesman said this afternoon.
“We have confirmed that work has been suspended on the site until further notice.”
It will reduce overflows into central Auckland waterways, streams and beaches, and stop wastewater from being mixed with stormwater. The project will also upgrade an antiquated wastewater network and cater for growth over the next 100 years.
A man working on Auckland's Central Interceptor had to be rescued this morning. Photo / Dean Purcell
The tunnel - an immense 4.5m in diameter - is designed to hold a capacity of 226,000cu m - equivalent to 90 Olympic swimming pools - and control the flow rate into the Māngere wastewater treatment plant.
It will run for 14.7 kilometres from Grey Lynn under central Auckland and the Manukau Harbour to Māngere, and will lie between 15 and 110 metres below the surface.
The Central Interceptor is due to be completed in 2026 rather than 2025 because of interruptions caused by the Covid-19 restrictions and challenges.
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
