Fatality
Massachusetts Construction Worker Dies in Trench Collapse
Two others escaped accident at South Yarmouth force main construction site
A worker died in a collapsed trench in South Yarmouth, Mass. on Nov. 18 while two others escaped.
Graphic by BNP Media Art Dept.
One worker died while two others survived a collapsed trench at a Massachusetts force main construction site, according to media reports.
The trench dug near 152 South Shore Drive in South Yarmouth, Mass., crumbled shortly before police arrived on the scene at 8:50 a.m. on Nov. 18, according to the police dept.’s Facebook post. He is identified as Miguel Reis, 61, from Fall River, Mass.
One worker jumped into the trench to help colleagues and escaped on his own before being transported to Cape Cod Hospital. Another worker was buried up to the waist and had to be extricated by rescue crews before being taken via helicopter to Rhode Island Hospital, according to media reports.
"We had a lot of collapse in the trench that continued to happen as we tried to remove him," Yarrmouth Fire Chief Enrique Arrascue told reporters during a press conference.
The dead worker was removed from the trench by first responders at around 2:45 p.m.
According to a media report, Revoli Construction Co. Inc. was performing the sewer work at the time of the accident.
The firm could not be reached for comment.
The Franklin, Mass., company has had had six referrals and complaints to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the last six years, including earlier this year when it was cited for failing to maintain a safety program to inspect jobsites, materials and equipment. The firm settled with OSHA in 2023 after being cited for not having adequate cave-in protections in place for trench 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), said in a statement provided to the Insurance Journal.
According to a town webpage, the first phase of a comprehensive wastewater/collection-system project includes properties near South Shore Drive where the accident happened.
The approximately $18-million project awarded to Revoli involves building new sewer mains, force main, pump station and associated water-main replacements along Route 28 and South Shore Drive. The effort includes installing more than 16,000 ft of gravity sewer mains ranging from 8 in. to 18 in. in dia., along with associated precast manholes, service connections and appurtenances. Crews are also constructing 4,600 ft of 6-in. force main, tieing the new pipelines into the town-wide collection system.
The eight-phase wastewater collection system project aligns with Massachusetts Dept. of Transportation road work along Route 28.
