CHAMBERSBURG, Pa – A construction worker was killed Thursday afternoon when a trench collapsed at a job site in Franklin County, officials said.
Emergency dispatchers received a call around 2 p.m. for a trench rescue in the 700 block of Clover Drive in Hamilton Township, according to the Franklin Fire Company. Crews arrived to find a worker trapped in dirt and debris up to his waist inside a 50-foot-long, six-foot-wide trench.
Rescue crews from Franklin Fire Company, Letterkenny Army Depot, West End Fire and Rescue Company, and Chambersburg Fire Department responded to the scene. Despite efforts to free the trapped worker, the situation became fatal, officials confirmed around 3 p.m.
Franklin County Fire Department Capt. Matt Bigler said crews initially began planning a rescue but could not proceed safely due to unstable ground conditions. The worker was pronounced dead at the scene. Heavy machinery, including excavators, was brought in to aid recovery efforts.
“Once dirt is displaced, it becomes very unstable and can collapse rapidly,” Bigler said, describing the mixture of dirt, clay and slate common in the area.
State police and the Franklin Fire Company are investigating the collapse. Crews remained on scene Thursday evening as investigators completed their work before shoring, air monitoring and recovery operations could begin.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that even partial trench collapses can be fatal, as one cubic yard of soil can weigh more than 3,000 pounds.
