Horror California collapse kills trench worker who was trapped underground for hours

An excavation worker died after a trench collapsed in California’s Central Valley, trapping the crew member underground for hours.

The horrifying incident occurred in Hickman, about 15 miles east of Modesto, Friday morning while workers were digging about 5 miles east of Hickman Road and Lake Road, according to the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District.

More than 30 firefighters responded to scene over reports of the worker being trapped below ground.

“Upon arrival, firefighters found that a large trench had collapsed while a crew was working, trapping one worker underground,” authorities said. “Firefighters and technical rescue personnel worked for several hours to remove the victim from the trench. The victim was recovered and determined to be deceased.”

Photos from the scene showed multiple first responders crowded around the large trench.

The attempted rescue operation took nearly five hours.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, Stanislaus County C.E.R.T., Denair Lumber, Waterford Subway, and Cal/OSHA also provided assistance.

The man’s identity is unclear, as is the cause of the collapse.

Cal/OSHA is investigating the cause and circumstances surrounding the incident. OSHA investigates workplace injuries and deaths to see if proper health and safety rules were followed.

Hickman is a small farming community within Stanislaus County.

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