Drain Pipe Rescue Near Lake Sherwood

Sunday September 08, 2024

(Photos courtesy VCFD PIO)

     Updated--Firefighters from several agencies were involved in an hours-long rescue of a man trapped in a 36 inch drainage pipe on a ranch near Lake Sherwood Sunday.

     The incident was reported around 2:20 PM in a remote area off Potrero Road.

     Urban Search and Rescue Teams, other firefighters, and law enforcement personnel responded to the scene along with an ambulance.

     The first problem they faced was locating the man in the section of drainage pipe that was longer than a football field.

     The depth of the pipe ranged from 4 to 8 feet along the way.

     They checked three different locations and finally with the help of a robot from Oxnard PD that has the ability to locate a heat source they found the 37-year-old man at the far end of the pipe.

    They dug down to the pipe and then cut an opening and carefully and safely removed him.

    He was taken to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.

    The authorities have said the man is connected to the ranch and was described as a special needs individual.

     How and why he ended up in the drainage pipe is unknown and how it was found out he was in that pipe was also not revealed by the authorities.