Man stuck in muddy trench freed after dramatic rescue effort

THE plumber who was stuck in a muddy trench in Essendon yesterday has spoken of his terrifying ordeal and paid tribute to the brave firefighter who risked his life during the emergency rescue.

THE plumber who was stuck in a muddy trench in Essendon says he feared for his life during the ordeal and has hailed a heroic firefighter risked his life during the emergency rescue.

20-year-old Whittlesea man Brandon Grech was working at the site when he became trapped six metres underground around 2.30pm on Thursday.

This morning, Mr Grech recalled the terrifying 90 minute ordeal.

“I was doing the final connection to the sewer branch and it all came crashing down,” he said on 3AW’s Mornings with Neil Mitchel l.

“Mud, dirt, the whole wall ... it came crashing down. I was completely covered from my neck down.”

Rescuers have freed a man who was trapped in mud after a trench collapse in Essendon. Picture: Seven News

Dozens of firefighters worked to free the man. Picture: Seven News

Mr Grech, who has a 15-month-old child and another baby on the way with his partner, said he was still in pain from the incident.

“The way my legs were pinned down by the dirt, I was in an awkward position.

“I feared for my life. For the whole 90 minutes I thought I was gone.”

JUST IN: Paramedics have been called to reports of a trench collapse in Essendon. More to come. #9News pic.twitter.com/oYLGFRBTpl

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) November 16, 2017

"I thought I was gone, Neil."

Young plumber recalls his horror day at work https://t.co/myWuaO6lKe pic.twitter.com/QQ4OTGscIr

— 3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) November 16, 2017

Mr Grech also praised a heroic MFB firefighter, identified as Damien, who risked his life to provide support as he sat in the unstable trench.

“There still was a risk that the rest of the wall could come in,” Mr Grech said.

“I told him, I want to go home to my kids. He told me he wanted to go home to his dogs.

“We were both keen to get out of there.”

Rescuers were called to the corner of Lincoln Rd and Florence St after the horror incident at the roadworks site.

MFB spokeswoman Belle Nolan said Mr Grech was initially trapped chest-deep.

Rescuers had to stabilise the trench’s walls before using buckets to remove soil and debris.

He emerged from the trench shortly before 4pm after the ordeal, which lasted around 90 minutes.

The road remains blocked off to traffic by a swarm of emergency crews.

Paramedics tended to Mr Grech before he was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and later released.