TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taichung Fire Department responded to a citizen report that a person was trapped in a roadside drainage ditch on Zhonghua Road at 10 p.m. on Tuesday (June 25).

A citizen reported hearing a weak plea for “help” emanating from below ground. The fire department confirmed an individual was trapped below the surface. However, accessing the individual was difficult as a nearby drainage pipe narrowed dramatically, preventing direct access.

The fire department decided to conduct the rescue from the road surface. Excavation equipment including drills, saws, and hydraulic shears was used during the two-hour rescue, which cut through a layer of asphalt and concrete, per CNA.

Eventually, the 60-year-old male surnamed Liao (廖) was freed from the ditch. Neighbors identified him as a local who had been reported missing for five days.

A preliminary on-site medical assessment by rescuers found Liao to be weak with abrasions on his body, though he was still conscious and in stable condition. He was given first aid and a warm blanket before being sent to the nearby Jen-Ai Hospital Dali Branch for further treatment.

Wuri Police Station confirmed it had received a missing person report about Liao. It is unknown how Liao became trapped, though some speculate he may have fallen into an open ditch not far from where he was eventually rescued.