Worker Dies After Trench Collapse In Sterling Heights

STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) - What was a frantic rescue operation at a Sterling Heights construction site has ended in the death of a worker.

According to police, workers had been digging a trench in the 4200 block of Mound Road, when it caved in with one of them inside.

"(They) were doing some underground work to remove some pipes that were at a building that's been abandoned that they were getting ready to demolish," Police Chief Dale Dowjakowski explained. "And that worker was down inside of this trench that was appropriately 10 feet deep, and dirt collapsed in and around the worker."

Rescue crews from multiple communities rushed in to help, but they were not able to dig the man out in time. Crews are now taking their time in getting into the trench so emergency workers are not injured.

Officials had said there was "no way the man was alive" before they pulled his body out.

Mound Road is now reopened after it remained closed between 19 and 18 1/2 Mile roads for more than two hours after the incident was over while crews cleared the area.

Further investigation will determine what went wrong, but Dowjakowski said early information is that the trench had not been shored up before the worker went in to work on the pipe.

The man's name was not immediately released.