Trenching and Excavation Fatality File

Trench Collapse Leaves One Dead, Two Hurt  

A worker died and two others were seriously injured after a trench collapse in Toronto’s Bayview Avenue and Ruddington Avenue area on November 6, 2024.

Toronto Fire Services said the incident occurred around 5:25 pm while the men were repairing a water pipe. Platoon Chief Chris Rowland explained that the workers had been using a camera to inspect pipes in an excavation area when a trench wall collapsed, burying the workers under the soil.

Toronto Fire Services initially responded with ladders and shovels but quickly shifted to a trench rescue, Rowland said. Two teams equipped with ropes entered the site to perform the rescue, primarily digging by hand due to the presence of buried individuals.

Source: Thesafetymag.com