Man Dies After Hole Dug For Swimming Pool In Orange Collapses On Him
ORANGE (CBSLA) — A man has died after the hole he was digging for a pool in Orange collapsed around him, according to authorities.
The collapse was reported just before 11 a.m. Saturday in the 6200 block of East Cliffway Drive, according to Orange Fire Capt. Ryan O'Conner. The 45-year-old man had been part of a crew of five digging the hole, when part of a wall collapsed around him and he was buried up to his shoulders.
Orange FD, OCFA and more are working to rescue an adult male who was working on installing a pool in a back yard on Cliffway drive in Orange. They were able to communicate with him after the 1st collapse, but haven't heard from him since the 2nd collapse.@CBSLA @KCBSKCALDesk pic.twitter.com/h6ZI0cujfV
— Chris Ercoli (@CErcoliCBS2KCAL) December 19, 2020
Orange Fire's Urban Search and Rescue units, along with firefighters from the Orange County Fire Authority, Anaheim, and Huntington Beach responded to the scene, and the first responders were lowered into the hole with ropes to try to clear the dirt away from the man.
The man was completely buried when a secondary wall collapsed. Firefighters worked to unearth the man for more than two hours, but the rescue operation was became a recovery effort at about 1:30 p.m.
The man's name was not released pending notification of his family.
CalOSHA is investigating the collapse.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)