Washington state worker slides down sewer pipe

[March 22, 2011]  UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. (AP) -- Officials in Washington state say a 37-year-old worker came loose from a safety line and slid about 3,000 feet through a large sewer pipe at a wastewater treatment plant.

Authorities say the man was working on the sewer system at the plant and was about 150 feet below ground. He slid through a pipe that's about six feet in diameter. Firefighters and co-workers pulled the man, a contractor for Pierce County Public Works and Utilities, to safety on Monday. He appeared to have minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital for further evaluation. [Associated Press] Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.