CEDAR HILLS, Utah, March 26, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Rescue officials say a construction worker is lucky to be alive after he was trapped in a collapsing trench Tuesday in the Utah County city of Cedar Hills.
American Fork Fire Battalion Chief Justin Whatcott told reporters at the scene that the man, believed to be about 20 years old, was one of a four-worker crew digging a utility-related trench for a homeowner. The accident happened just before 2 p.m. in the area of 9970 N. 4000 West.
Rescuers from American Fork Fire arrived to find the man in a trench that was about 10 feet deep. He was buried to his chest, and his coworkers were doing their best to dig him out. Multiple other agencies, including Pleasant Grove, Lehi, Provo and Saratoga Springs fire departments, arrived and assisted with the rescue effort.
The man was able to breathe and communicate and never lost consciousness, Whatcott said.
The extrication took about 90 minutes to accomplish, with help from trench rescuers, a ropes team, and a vacuum truck to remove dirt. Upon removal, the victim was flown to an area hospital in serious condition.
OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, will investigate the incident and what caused the collapse of the trench.
