URGENT UPDATE: The Boring Company has halted tunneling operations in Las Vegas following a serious incident involving a worker who sustained a crushing injury. This disruption was confirmed by Fortune Magazine, which reported that emergency responders were called to the site at approximately 10:12 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
Witnesses reported to local authorities that the injury occurred during an industrial incident at the site, leading to the deployment of an 18-person rescue crew equipped with a crane to extricate the injured worker from the tunnel. The worker was quickly transported to a nearby hospital and is currently reported to be stable, although the full extent of their injuries remains unclear.
This incident took place in a tunnel expansion project aimed at connecting to the Las Vegas Airport. The Boring Company had previously opened a 1.5-mile tunnel in 2021, designed to facilitate transportation amid the bustling city. However, the ambitious vision of a high-speed transit system has been altered; visitors now travel at a maximum speed of just 35 miles per hour in standard Tesla vehicles, rather than the autonomous pods originally envisioned.
The company has faced scrutiny over worker safety in the past, with reports indicating multiple citations from Nevada’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration due to safety violations. In particular, investigations by ProPublica, Bloomberg, and Fortune highlighted concerns surrounding a 2024 incident involving the collapse of a concrete structure at the Las Vegas Convention Center. After this, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority took measures to enhance safety protocols at the site.
As of now, The Boring Company has 3.5 miles of tunnels operational in Las Vegas and has plans for expansion encompassing up to 68 miles of tunnels. The community is watching closely as this situation develops, with many hoping for a swift recovery for the injured worker and a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident.
The Boring Company has not yet responded to inquiries regarding this incident. Stay tuned for further updates as more information becomes available.
