A construction crew working at Hillcrest Lane in Chapel Hill had a terrifying experience on August 11th, 2011 as a sudden New York worksite accident left one of their co-workers buried alive. The construction crew was working on water pipes behind 83 Hillcrest Lane when a trench collapsed.
Dirt and large rocks tumbled into the trench, which was at least 10 feet deep. One worker in the trench was buried; his head was reported to be at least a foot and a half under the surface. Co-workers and others, including a retired construction worker from Yonkers who lived nearby, raced to rescue the worker and were eventually successful.
The worker sustained potential internal injuries and lost teeth, although he did appear to be conscious and was able to walk to the ambulance. He was transferred to Hudson Valley Hospital Center.
A second worker was also sent to the hospital with heat-related injuries sustained during the rescue.
The workers injured on the Chapel Hill worksite have not yet been identified, pending notification of their families. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expected to investigate. There have been some reports that the workers were not using proper shoring devices on the worksite.
The Chapel Hill workers' compensation lawyers with Markhoff & Mittman, P.C. wish both workers a speedy recovery from their injuries.
