Worker feared dead after trench collapses at home under construction in Grain Valley
A worker is believed to have been killed when a trench he was working in collapsed Wednesday at a home under construction in Grain Valley, a spokesman for the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District said.
The worker was trapped when a trench he was working in collapsed shortly before noon at a home under construction near Southwest Tisha Lane and Southwest Hillside Drive, said Chip J. Portz, chief of community risk reduction for Central Jackson County Fire.
Rescuers believe the worker was killed in the collapse.
“About 25 minutes after we arrived, we transitioned from a rescue to a recovery and that is still underway,” Portz said. “We’re going carefully into the trench with our folks. Since it’s a recover at this point, we’re going step by step making sure the walls are not going to collapse any further on top of us.”
The name of the company that was doing the work was not being released because it was unknown if the worker’s family had been notified, Portz said.
The fire district initially responded with three fire trucks and two ambulances with about a dozen rescuers. The fire district’s heavy rescue team was also dispatched, which brought an additional 12 heavy rescue specialists.
Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have responded to the scene and will investigate how the collapse happened.
