LEADVILLE, Colo. (KDVR) — A man fell into a 30-foot sinkhole on Thursday while trying to access his storage unit.

Leadville/Lake County Fire Rescue said it happened around 6:02 p.m. on April 1 near 2nd Street and Plum Street.

LLCFR said the bottom of the sinkhole had a substantial amount of ice and water in it, creating a very cold situation, as well as a very unstable pit.

Firefighter Alex Conlin rappelled into the sinkhole and helped the man into safety gear that was attached to a safety line and secured to a fire engine to keep him from sinking into the water.

The firefighter determined that the man was injured, so additional rescue crews were called to the scene to help.

Within a few hours, the man was rescued from the pit and taken by ambulance to a helicopter to be flown to a hospital and treated for his injuries, according to LLCFR.

Firefighter Conlin was assessed and provided rehabilitation treatment as well as warmed up from the extremely cold environment he had been in.

“Risk a lot to save a lot, risk a little to save a little, risk nothing to save nothing,” shared firefighter Conlin when asked about the rescue after he recognized the grave situation the patient was in.

The man was hospitalized in an unknown condition. His identity has not been released.