Firefighters rescue man who fell into trench

A stretch of Rampart Boulevard near the Suncoast was closed Thursday night as firefighters rescued a man who fell into a 25-foot deep trench.

The man called 911 about 7 p.m. reporting that he had fallen into the hole on the east side of the street, near Alta Drive, according to Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski.

The man had slight injuries and couldn’t get out of the hole. The company working on the trench, which was dug to lay a water pipe, told authorities that the man was not an employee, Szymanski said.

“We don’t know who this individual is,” he said.

The trench was surrounded by cement barriers and cones and the man could be considered to be trespassing in the area, Szymanski said.

Traffic was shut down on the stretch of Rampart between Alta Drive and Canyon Run Drive to prevent passing cars from disturbing the walls of the trench and causing dirt to fall on the man. Szymanski said the man was conscious and able to talk to firefighters late Thursday.