After being trapped for approximately three hours, a construction worker was extricated yesterday from the sand and debris in which his foot had been caught at a downtown Minneapolis construction site.

In a statement, project manager Kraus-Anderson said the worker’s “foot was caught between the retaining wall board and the building’s footings, with sand up to his knees” while he was removing the retaining wall boards.

News sources say the worker was tended to by EMTs and did not appear to have any serious injuries, but was taken to a local hospital for observation.

Construction on the 17-story apartment building was halted during the rescue operation.

A spokesman for Kraus-Anderson said the worker is an employee of St. Paul-based Bolander, a project subcontractor that provides earthwork, utilities, demolition, deep foundations and soil remediation.

Minnesota OSHA is investigating Monday’s incident.