A sand tunnel built at an Oceanside beach collapsed on Friday trapping a Riverside County man inside for several minutes.
The 18-year-old man and his family built the tunnel while visiting the beach just south of the Oceanside Pier, said Oceanside Fire Battalion Chief Pete Lawrence.
The group used shovels to dig a hole measuring 8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 5 feet deep, Lawrence said. Once the hole was built Lawrence says the man became trapped while adding a tunnel to the hole.
Once the sand collapsed on the man, the family jumped into action and frantically began digging the man out with their hands, Lawrence said. The family said it took about two minutes to get him free.
A 911 called was placed by the family at 7:11pm, Lawrence said.
By the time the paramedics arrived, the man had been dug out of the hole.
Lawrence said the teen inhaled a large amount of sand and was taken by his family to Tri-City Medical Center.
