Man Buried Alive in Trench Collapse, Saved by Co-workers

5/24/2017

EMERY, S.D. (AP) – Authorities say quick intervention by his co-workers likely saved a man buried when a water-sewer trench collapsed in Emery.

Fire Chief Brian Leitheiser says that except for the man’s hand, the construction worker was completely covered in dirt Tuesday. He was on a crew from a Fort Pierre construction company working on a water and sewer replacement project.

Leitheiser says the quick action by his co-workers likely saved the man’s life. He has not been identified. The crew members and an EMT cleared the man’s head in about five minutes. It took another 30 minutes to completely uncover him.