Matthew Heiden, a public works employee from Westmont, Illinois, tragically died after getting stuck in an underground vault that was flooded while trying to repair a burst pipe on Thursday, February 23, 2023.
The unfortunate incident occurred just after 11:45 am at the intersection of 60th Street and Deming Place when Matthew responded to a water main break. Officials stated that Heiden was down the six-foot hole when it began flooding with water. Other workers unsuccessfully tried to rescue him but his hand was stuck between some piping, prompting them to contact the police and fire department.
Haiden was trapped for about 55 minutes before he was pulled out of the manhole and lifesaving measures were administered. He was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
"I saw them bring the stretcher probably 20 minutes before they even got him out": Neighbors can only watch as authorities desperately attempt to rescue Matthew Heiden
Matthew had worked for the Westmont Public Works department since 2019. He was initially hired as a seasonal employee in 2019 and 2021. He was hired as a part-time water maintenance worker in September 2021 and was eventually promoted to full-time employee recently.
According to Westmont Fire Chief Steve Riley, rescuing Heiden was a challenge as his hand got stuck while being six feet underground in a manhole. He stated:
"Once we got the water shut off and we could see, we could tell his hand was trapped in the piping - and that was issue getting him out right away is he was stuck down underneath."Videos taken by residents from the area show authorities from several departments trying to pull Matthew Heiden out. Sue Jay, a nearby resident of the area, told ABC 7 that she could sense the urgency as she looked out the window and watched the terror unfold. She stated:
"Everybody was running, frantic trying to get something done, doing what they were supposed to be doing. You could tell that it was, that it was pretty, an emergency situation from the very beginning."Matthew Heiden was eventually freed an hour later at around 12:40 pm. However, he was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at 1:07 pm. shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Residents felt for Matthew's devastated family and were less worried about the water being turned off. A neighbor, Mark Miani, stated:
"Oh you know, it breaks your heart, poor guy is just working, and losing life that’s bad, that's bad."Matthew Heiden grew up in the community and attended Westmont High School where he was a student-athlete. He graduated in 2020. According to his principal, Jack Baldermann:
"Hard working, humble. He played baseball, and he was well-liked by his classmates, and his family is very admired by the Westmont community."Heiden's family worked with the Village of Westmont. City officials released a public statement expressing their condolences to the grieving family, and flags were lowered to half-staff at the village hall.
A separate OSHA investigation is underway to determine how Matthew Heiden got trapped and the incidents that transpired.
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