Man rescued from Union City cement mixer

A man was rescued safely Thursday evening from a cement mixer in Union City, Alameda County Fire Department officials said.

As of 6:59 p.m. the man was free of a large hopper of dry cement at a property at 1295 Whipple Road.

Before pulling the man to safety, firefighters placed a harness around him to keep him from sinking further into the cement and drained cement from the bottom of the hopper.

The man was trapped for about two and a half hours. Fire officials have not said how the man ended up in the hopper.