A 69-year-old man who lives under a bridge was hospitalized after he slipped and fell about 10 to 12 feet into a culvert at the base of St. Louis Heights Tuesday morning.

Firefighters and paramedics were sent to Waialae Avenue and St. Louis Heights Drive, where they found the man about 7 a.m. in the concrete drainage culvert that is part of Palolo Stream, fire Capt. Terry Seelig said.

Firefighters used a ground ladder and basket stretcher to bring the man out of the ditch.

Paramedics transported him to the hospital in serious condition, a spokesman for the city Department of Emergency Services said.