A 22-year-old man was killed Tuesday after a trench collapsed at a residential construction site in Coquitlam, raising concerns about whether the crew was following proper safety procedures.
Firefighters said the worker, whose name hasn’t been released, was working in a trench that was roughly six feet wide and 10 feet deep when it caved in, burying him up to his head.
“We were able to bring the person out of the trench, however the gentleman did succumb to his injuries,” Deputy Fire Chief Rod Gill told reporters.
WorkSafeBC is investigating the accident. Under the agency’s requirements, trenches deeper than four feet must be shored up or properly sloped, but first responders found no shoring or braces at the site.
Paul Leblevec, an independent contractor who works nearby, said he has serious concerns about what happened.
“When it’s done right you don’t get cave-ins of this magnitude, standing in a 10 foot ditch and having the whole wall come on you,” Leblevec said. “There’s no hope. You’re done.”
The construction site, located near Hart Street an Brunette Avenue, is being developed for eight new houses. The worker who died was installing sewer lines at the time of the accident.
It’s not yet clear what caused the trench to collapse, but firefighters said recent rainfall might have made the sides unstable.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim
