It took firefighters an hour to extricate the first worker from the trench, after which he was taken to a hospital. The second worker was rescued approximately 40 minutes later.
This situation underscores the city's reliance on an aging fleet, with over 60% of fire engines needing replacement, hampering effective firefighting during crisis situations.
Cops and firefighters are scouring the East River for a missing 15-year-old girl who bystanders said plunged into the current after dropping her phone in the water Friday afternoon.
"I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said.