Man Trapped, Buried Head-To-Toe Under Dirt Pile Rescued At Quarry In Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — A man trapped and buried from head to toe under a dirt pile was rescued on Thursday morning in Bridgewater.

On Feb. 13 at around 10:48 a.m., Somerset County Communications reported a man buried under a dirt pile at Stavola Quarry off Chimney Rock Road, and no one was able to see him, said Bridgewater Police Chief John Mitzak.

The 29-year-old male victim works for Double O Contracting and was picking up a load from Stavolas Quarry at around 9 a.m.

After receiving the load, he went to the scale where he was told that the load was over the maximum weight allowed, said Mitzak.

He went back to the pile and began manually emptying the dump truck. He was standing behind the truck next to the pile and unloading the material with a shovel back to the pile, said Mitzak.

"As he was doing this, the pile began to collapse, and he was fully trapped from head to toe under the dirt," said Mitzak.

The man was able to free one of his hands and yell for help.

When officers arrived, the man was partially buried from the waist down and Stavola's Quarry workers were actively digging the man out from the dirt pile.

Martinsville Fire Department, Green Knoll Rescue Squad, and Martinsville Rescue Squad arrived to help.

After being removed from the dirt, the man was alert and conscious and taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.