ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Firefighters say it's a path a 30-year-old north St. Louis County man walks every day to and from work.
"He just went there on Wednesday and said it was fine walking," said Chief Keith Goldstein with the North County Fire Rescue Department.
However, that wasn't the case around six this morning.
The man said he trekked across an abandoned lot, was on his way to his job, when he suddenly fell in a trench and became trapped in waist-deep mud.
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It happened on Shepley Road in Glasgow Village in north county.
"It's surprising to hear that someone actually fell in a hole," said neighbor, LaToya Stephenson.
"It is bizarre," said Chief Keith Goldstein.
At the time, the temperature was near freezing.
The rain kept falling and the man kept screaming for help.
"I think it's terribly sad. I think someone should have heard him," said LaToya Stephenson.
Firefighters say after three hours, a neighbor finally heard the man's cries for help and called 911.
First responders arrived, put up a blue tarp to try to keep the guy dry and immediately started digging. They had to be careful so the muddy trench would not collapse.
"They were able to dig enough out to get a backboard behind him and take some pressure off," added Chief Goldstein.
The man was seemingly helpless.
"One leg was straight and the other was behind him, so it was a matter of these guys just keep digging until they can get him free," said Chief Keith Goldstein.
It took firefighters about an hour to pull the guy out of the mud-filled trench. Paramedics took him to a hospital and treated him for hypothermia and lower body injuries.
Neighbors are just relieved he survived.
"That's just real crazy," said neighbor, Kerry Payton.
Payton thinks the man might be one of his buddies.
"Yeah, I think I know him and we all walk around the neighborhood. I'm glad he got out of that hole and I'm happy for him," said Payton.
"He could have frozen to death. I wonder what was he thinking while he was down there in that hole? He probably thought his life was over. I think he's very, very lucky and blessed to be alive," said LaToya Stephenson.
The man is expected to be OK.