Sanitation worker heard a woman’s scream from a 20-foot sewer well — a remarkable rescue followed
They say you'll always find help when you need it, and that's exactly what happened in Kentucky when a sanitation worker's swift intervention saved a woman from the brink of death. On the morning of June 5, 2025, Anchorage Middletown Fire & EMS (AMFEMS), the rescue unit, received a horrifying call about a person trapped inside a sewer well. Without wasting a single minute, the team rushed to the location, only to discover that the victim, a Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) worker, had fallen into a 20-25-foot well while carrying out some maintenance duties. Thankfully, the woman was still conscious and could be successfully rescued from the well, all thanks to the emergency service unit.
As reported by WLKY, the sanitation driver, Keith Ware, was working nearby when someone's desperate cry for help caught his attention. "I heard a sound, and I couldn't tell where it was coming from because there were, like, bushes around this well. So I heard someone yell out, 'Help!' Again! And I went through the bushes and looked down this well, and I saw her," he said. The driver noticed that the doors of the MSD truck parked in the middle of Cox Avenue in Anchorage were open, so he started looking around and eventually found out about the woman stuck inside the well. "She was responsive. She was very excited to see me. So I got on my phone, called my dispatcher, let her know where I was, and, you know, then she sent the EMS, fire department, everybody," Ware added.
As captured in the video, the crew first established a "pick-off" rescue system, using a tripod device. Next, one of the technicians from the rescue team went inside the sewer well, put the victim in a harness, and then both of them were pulled back to safety 25 minutes later, the officials shared. Soon after the rescue, the victim received initial treatment by AMFEMS medic units on-site and was later rushed to the University of Louisville Hospital for further checkups. "Much credit and thanks to the sanitation truck driver for his awareness and calling 911. His actions no doubt contributed to a successful outcome," the officials said, praising Keith Ware, the sanitation truck driver who made the unbelievable rescue possible. "Excellent work by Rescue 33 and all responding units, their constant training for these types of incidents; their swift execution in managing this incident made for a successful outcome," the team added.
Meanwhile, the now-viral video of the dramatic rescue operation received an overwhelming response on social media. For instance, echoing the sentiments, Jenny Mann expressed, "Wow! I’m glad the young lady is ok. Praying for her as she recovers from the trauma. Thank you to everyone who played a role in her rescue." Similarly, another person who goes by Gretchen Miller Carolan on Facebook said, "Amazing that they were unharmed after falling that far." Amazing job, rescue crew." On the other hand, Melissa Anne Bowlds shared, "Thankfully, there are still awesome people out there to rescue!" Whitney Quiggins commented, "She got really lucky, especially being unharmed, falling that far." Tina Bryant exclaimed, "Awesome job, heroes! So glad she seems to be ok!"
You can follow Anchorage Middletown Fire & EMS on Facebook for more such rescue operations.