Worker killed in Goodyear, Ariz., trench collapse during construction rescue effort

8/1/2025

(UI) — A construction worker died after being trapped in a trench for more than 12 hours at a job site in northwestern Goodyear, Arizona, according to azcentral.com.

The incident occurred on July 28 near 183rd Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. Fire officials said the man was buried under dirt as crews attempted to free him, but unstable conditions caused additional trench collapses, forcing rescuers to slow operations for safety.

The man, identified by Goodyear Police as 44-year-old Ronald Andrew Baquera Jr., was recovered around 2 a.m. on July 29, azcentral.com reported. The incident remains under investigation by local authorities and the Arizona Industrial Commission’s workplace safety division.