One worker is trapped at a construction site in Durham, North Carolina, after a trench collapsed Wednesday morning, fire officials said.
Fire crews and first responders were called just after 11 a.m. local time. Though six workers were initially reported as trapped, upon arrival officials learned there were four workers in the trench when it collapsed, said Chris Iannuzzi, interim chief with the Durham Fire Department.
One of the workers was able to get out on his own and one was extricated by fire crews “fairly quickly” and then walked on his own to emergency medical services, according to Iannuzzi.
A third person was just extricated, and Iannuzzi did not know his condition. A fourth person is still trapped in the trench and is “completely covered,” Iannuzzi said.
The collapse occurred at a construction site that appeared to be for a gas station, he said. Iannuzzi said he did not know the exact dimensions of the trench, but he estimated that it was about 6 to 8 feet deep.
Two people have been transported to Duke University Medical Center and the third person also was transported. Their injuries are unknown at this time.
