A man was rescued from a storm drain in Martinsville, Indiana, on Tuesday afternoon after crews lowered a technician nearly 7 feet underground to reach him.

The Martinsville Fire Department received the report around 3 p.m. according to a Facebook post from the department.

Once additional personnel arrived, firefighters set up air monitors, positive pressure ventilation and a rope system before making a confined space entry. With safety precautions in place and the air confirmed safe, an MFD confined space technician was lowered into the drain to reach the victim.

The man was placed in a rescue harness and raised out of the drain, the post said. Afterward, he told first responders he had entered the drain to clean it.

He was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

Storm drain safety

Storm drains are confined spaces, which means they can hold pockets of toxic gas, low oxygen and fast-rising water even on a dry day. Leave the climbing to trained crews and do this instead:

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• Clear only what you can reach from the curb. Rake leaves, sticks and trash off the top of the grate while standing on solid ground.
• Never lift a grate or lower yourself in. Not even "just for a second," and never alone.
• Report clogs to your city or county. Public works and stormwater departments handle blocked drains and standing water, often within a day or two.
• Watch the sky before you start. A backed-up drain can surge in minutes during heavy rain, so skip the cleanup if storms are moving in.
• Call 911 if someone is stuck. Don't attempt a rescue yourself — bystanders who climb in to help often become the second victim.