COFFEE COUNTY, GA (WALB) -
A man who was trapped in a well in Coffee County has died. 50 year old Geronimo Delgado was working on the well Saturday morning when he fell into the 12 to 15 foot hole. The walls collapsed around him and trapped him underneath. Crews were able to get him out around 7:45 Sunday morning. Officials say it appears he died of suffocation.
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It's been nearly 12 hours since a Coffee County man fell into a well in his front yard this morning.
"About 11 o'clock I saw the gentleman over here across the street, he walked up to the hole there and all of a sudden he disappeared," says neighbor David Callahan.
The victim, who's name is not being released at this time, fell into a 12 to 15 foot hole that was intended for a personal water well.
"He'd been digging all day long yesterday over there and then he went back out there this morning to continue and that's when it started," says Callahan.
Officials say the man had been working on the well, fell in and then the walls suddenly collapsed around him and trapped him underneath.
"Anytime you are low grade in dirt or whatever there is potential for a collapse especially in this situation with soft sand made it worse," says Coffee County Fire Chief Steve Carvey.
The Coffee County Fire Department and a special Georgia Search and Rescue team have now had to build stability walls to keep the large hole from collapsing even further. They say the victim is barely holding on as they try to rescue him from the well.
"Were in contact with the victim and he is still alive and still responding to us," says Carvey.
Crews were able to get an oxygen mask to the victim before the walls collapsed but now they say they're fighting against time to make sure he gets out safely.
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Crews build stability walls to keep wall from collapsing
Man gets trapped in well after the walls collapse on top of him
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