Man rescued from deep backyard hole in Hillarys, Perth

A man who spent more than three hours trapped in a deep backyard hole in Perth’s northern suburbs has been pulled to safety.

The 46-year-old man was rescued just before 6.30pm on Tuesday, following a delicate operation to ensure the 3m-deep trench did not collapse in on him.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Man rescued after hours trapped in backyard hole.

The man, who had been trapped by his leg, was assessed by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital.

The fire brigade was alerted to the incident on Orbell Rd in Hillarys about 3pm on Tuesday, with several specialist crews called in.

The man was given a blanket, received water and was assessed by paramedics as emergency services worked out how to safely extract him.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services district officer Scott Bulloch said earlier that it was a delicate situation and that they were taking no risks.

“These are really dangerous (rescues) when it comes to trenches,” he said.

“Any movement around it and within the area can cause the sand to make him become more entrapped.

“It’s quite delicate in trying to shore up that area.”

The trapped man’s flatmate said he fell into the hole while digging to find a sewer pipe.

“He’s been there for about two or three hours. He seems alright. They’ve got all the paramedics there so he looks good,” Derek Coward said.

Coward, whose brother owns the property, said they had been digging the hole for up to four days.