About three hours after he was trapped from the waist down in a trench Tuesday, a water department employee in Floyd County was freed, authorities said.

The trench collapsed on Shawn Michael Marie, 25, around 1:30 p.m. on Shorter Avenue in Rome just west of Huffaker Road, the News-Tribune reported.

He was taken to Floyd Medical Center after the incident. Marie’s wife, Madison, told the newspaper he has been with the water department for about two years.

Police, fire, medical and public works personnel worked to free Marie, whose lower body was trapped, according to the report.

A backhoe and a vacuum truck were among the equipment used.

Read more of the story here.

In other news:

The mom said the boy became clingy and refused to go to school and no one seemed to know why.????