1 Worker Dies, 2 Injured in Trench Collapse at Cape Cod Construction Site

One worker died and two were injured in a trench collapse at a construction site in a popular seacoast town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

The trench collapse happened on Tuesday about 9 a.m. at a sewer project work site located on South Shore Drive in Yarmouth.

Police and fire crews arrived to find workers trapped following the collapse of the trench.

One worker managed to escape the trench. The rescue teams providing lifesaving measures were able to save another worker.

About 2 p.m., Yarmouth Fire Chief Enrique Arrascue told reporters that one worker had died and was still inside the trench. The first responders recovered the body of the third worker at about 2:45 p.m.

The accident site is near the Skipper Restaurant and Chowder House. Due to the on-going investigation into the incident, police closed the area between Parker’s River Beach and the restaurant.

A state coalition of union, health, safety and community advocates called for an investigation of Revoli Construction, the excavation company hired for the sewer work.

“The company has a troubling history of significant health and safety violations, including prior incidents that raised serious concerns about their commitment to worker safety,” Tatiana Sofia Begault, executive director, of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), claimed in a statement.

According to federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) records, there have been six referrals and complaints against Revioli since 2016. Earlier this year Revoli was cited for failing to maintain a safety program which provides for frequent and regular inspections of jobsites, materials, and equipment. In 2023, OSHA cited the firm for an inadequate system to protect employees from potential cave-in from the unsupported walls of an excavation.

Begault commended the Yarmouth Fire Department and all first responders for their “extraordinary courage and dedication in such a dire situation” and described the rescue efforts as “complex and challenging.”

Topics Training Development Construction