OCEAN PINES — A Worcester County public works employee early Wednesday morning fell about 20 feet into a water and wastewater shaft near the South Gate in Ocean Pines and had to be extricated and ultimately flown via helicopter to Shock Trauma in Baltimore with unknown injuries.

Around 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday, the Ocean Pines Fire Department received an emergency call regarding a Worcester County employee falling into a 20-foot shaft at the county facility near the South Gate at the entrance to the Sherwood Forest neighborhood. Rescue crews worked for about an hour to extricate the victim, who was then flown via Maryland State Police helicopter to Shock Trauma in Baltimore. The nature of the victim’s injuries nor his condition are known at this time.

The Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department was the lead agency on the rescue and crews extricated the victim in about an hour. The Showell Volunteer Fire Company also assisted. With crews and equipment on the scene, the incident snarled morning rush hour traffic in a heavily traveled area near the South Gate. By around 10 a.m., the incident was cleared. More information will be provided as it becomes available