EVERETT, Wash. — Crews did not find a person inside a human-made tunnel during a technical rescue near Interstate 5 and Pacific Avenue in Everett on Thursday.
A 911 call prompted an emergency response over concerns that someone was possibly inside the tunnel and that the tunnel might have partially caved in.
However, crews discovered that the tunnel was intact. The hand-dug tunnel near the Pacific Avenue off-ramp was 45 feet long, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The tunnel was discovered on the side of the highway after road crews noticed someone jumping out of the bushes in the area overnight.
Crews started responding to the scene around 8:40 a.m.
“The crews, when I spoke with them, said they were very surprised to see somebody, not only pop out of the bush, but then also realize there was actually a tunnel down there,” said WSDOT spokesperson Jordan Longacre. “When they did respond earlier [Thursday] morning, they saw that there was rocks being moved back in front of the tunnel, and that’s at which point they realized that somebody was under there.”
Crews began performing a technical rescue around 9:30 a.m. and removed dirt to access the tunnel.
Around 1:30 p.m., an Everett Vactor truck was used to create a second access point for fire and rescue crews to the rest of the tunnel.
Everett Fire said workers attempted to use a camera to get a better visual inside the tunnel.
After the excavation was complete, WSDOT crews filled in the tunnel.
Units from the Everett Police Department, Everett Fire, Washington State Patrol (WSP) and WSDOT as well as multiple other fire agencies were on scene.