Two construction workers are believed to have died on Friday when the trench in which they worked collapsed in St. Paul.
The crash happened around 3pm at the intersection of Pinehurst Avenue and Mount Curve Boulevard in the Highland Park neighborhood. Firefighters were told that two workers were trapped when the walls of the trench where they worked retreated.
By Friday night, given the elapsed time and the amount of material that had collapsed, the crews had moved from a rescue mission to a recovery mission.
“It’s just been too long,” Fire Chief Matt Simpson told FOX 9 news. Recovery efforts continued into the night.
Neighbors said the construction lasted about two months. It seems that a residential building is being built next to the excavation. Many observers watched the scene as firefighters stabilized the trench and tried to free the workers.
“It’s just absolutely tragic,” St. Paul City Councilman Chris Tolbert said as he headed to the scene. “We pray for a miracle. Our fire department is the best at what they do, but like I said, we just pray for a miracle.”
Officials did not disclose the names of those in the trench or the company that hired them. Crews from the St. Paul Police and Fire Department and St. Paul’s Public Works were among those involved in the rescue effort.
The National Association of Utility Contractors noted that June is “Excavation Safety Month”, reminding businesses of safe practices when the busy construction season begins. About a dozen workers have died in trenches across the country in the past two years, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
An OSHA investigator was at the crash site on Friday.
Staff writer Katie Gallioto contributed to this report.
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