Woman Rescued After Falling into Construction Ditch

Trench was 6 to 8 feet deep

Montgomery County authorities rescued a 47-year-old woman Sunday who fell into a construction ditch in Gaithersburg.

Pete Piringer, county fire department spokesman, said the woman fell into the trench, which runs parallel to a sidewalk, Sunday evening. He said it was dark when she fell in, and there was no barrier between the sidewalk and ditch.

The trench is about 6 to 8 feet deep, and is a couple hundred feet long.

Piringer said the woman had been out with family members, walking their dog. As she fell, a couple feet of the dirt wall gave way, with some coming down on her.

Rescue personnel treated the woman for mild hypothermia and took her to a hospital with possible leg and spinal injuries.

Authorities said construction workers doing utility work recently dug the ditch.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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