Car Found In Lake Matthews Mine Shaft

LAKE MATTHEWS (CBS) — Fire crews started an underground recover mission after discovering a car in a 150-foot-deep abandoned mine shaft near Lake Matthews today.

According to a fire department official from Riverside County, a hiker spotted the vehicle while trekking across property that belongs to the Western Municipal Water District around 1 p.m. today.  The vehicle was spotted in a tunnel near La Sierra Avenue and Tin Mine Road.  The car was about 60 feet into the  shaft, which had been fenced off.

There was no indication that anyone was in the pit, but crews were preparing a "confined space" rescue just to be certain. The operation is expected to last for several hours.

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