OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- Fellow beachgoers rescued a Riverside County man trapped beneath 5 feet of sand in Oceanside, and the man survived, city fire department Battalion Chief Pete Lawrence said Saturday.

The 18-year-old man inhaled a significant amount of sand and was rushed in a private car to Tri City Hospital, Lawrence said. The victim's 17-year-old girlfriend was evaluated by paramedics for undisclosed injuries and was released to a parent.

No names or hometowns were released.

The man and his family and friends dug a hole in the sand 8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 5 feet deep, Lawrence said. They then decided to add a tunnel, Lawrence said. While digging the tunnel, the sand suddenly collapsed.

A dispatcher received a call reporting the collapse at about 7:10 p.m. Friday and units from the Oceanside fire department, police department and lifeguards were dispatched to help, Lawrence said. By the time they arrived, bystanders had already dragged the victim from the hole.

Lifeguards and the victim's friends filled in the hole to prevent future accidents, Lawrence said.