Chaos At Elon Musk's Multi-Million Dollar Tunnel Project As Worker With 'Crushing Injury' Rescued By 18-Man Crew

A major rescue operation unfolded at Elon Musk's multi-million dollar tunnel project, as an 18-man crew raced against time to save a worker who sustained a serious 'crushing injury'.

The incident has brought the project's safety protocols under intense scrutiny, raising questions about the chaotic events that led to the emergency response.

Chaos Below

Work at a Boring Company construction site has been temporarily halted following a serious 'crushing injury' sustained by a worker. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday evening in Las Vegas, is currently under investigation by regulatory officials, according to spokespeople from the local fire department and OSHA.

A spokeswoman for the Clark County Fire Department said that employees of the Boring Company informed emergency responders that a 'coworker had sustained a crushing injury'. In an email to Fortune, she confirmed the department received an alert about an 'industrial/machinery incident' at roughly 10:12 p.m. on Wednesday.

An 18-person rescue crew was deployed to the scene, and the Fire Department used a crane located on-site to extract the worker from the tunnel. The injured individual was then taken to a nearby hospital, where their condition was reported as stable, according to the Fire Department. The hospital has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The Clark County Fire Department confirmed that tunnelling operations at the site have been temporarily suspended while an investigation into the incident takes place.

Authorities Launch Investigation

A spokeswoman for Nevada OSHA told Fortune that after the agency was alerted to the incident, officials were sent to the site to launch an investigation.

The incident occurred on Paradise Road, where the Boring Company has been working to extend its tunnel network to the Las Vegas airport. The company has since gained preliminary approval to build a 68-mile underground public transport system throughout the city.

To date, the company has finished 3.5 miles of tunnels beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, with extensions leading to adjacent resorts.

A History of Safety Concerns

Last year, investigations by Fortune revealed that dozens of employees were injured on Boring Company projects, including the construction of the tunnel leading to the Wynn and Encore resorts on Las Vegas Boulevard. The Las Vegas monorail was also briefly closed after workers dug too near its foundations.

Following Fortune's report, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority took a more active role in safety and named an employee to supervise the work. A few weeks ago, the CEO of the LVCVA told Fortune that he was unaware of any significant safety incidents since that appointment.

Beyond Las Vegas

A spokesperson for The Boring Company has confirmed that it has recently started testing self-driving Tesla vehicles inside the tunnels beneath the convention centre. The company has said that the vehicles are operating with a safety driver present.

The Boring Company is currently awaiting permits from the city of Las Vegas to begin work on a new tunnel that would run beneath Las Vegas Boulevard. Additionally, the company is starting to prepare for another tunnel system, this time in the city of Nashville.