The St. Paul Fire Department says they helped rescue a man who was stuck in a sewer for approximately four days.

The department said that they responded to the 400 block of University Avenue in St. Paul late Tuesday morning.

There, they found a man who was stuck about 10 to 12 feet down from the sewer opening. Authorities reported the man was conscious and alert.

An advanced technical rescue team was brought on the scene to help extricate the man. They set up a rope rescue, lowered a rescuer down to the man, and raised both back up to street level.

"I was around and saw a lot of firefighters. It was extremely busy. A lot of people," Jose Mancia, who witnessed the rescue, said in Spanish. "It's always busy. People walk here both during the day and night."

Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities, whose facility is near the drain, says they were the ones who called 911 when they heard cries for help.

The rescue took about 45 minutes. The man was taken to an area hospital for evaluation, but was said to be in stable condition.

"The outcome was what we hoped for," Deputy Chief Jamie Smith said.

It is not clear how the man wound up in the sewer, Smith added.

"I know that sometimes people like to go down there... for what? I have no idea," said Taures Holmes, who frequents the path. "I'm glad to hear he's OK."

Mancia also told WCCO that the cement barriers that are currently on top of the drain haven't always been there. Mancia doesn't even remember the last time the drains were shut.

"It's been open for a while," said Mancia. "For as long as I remember.... three years, more or less."

• St. Paul