Worker buried in trench collapse during sewer repairs in Charleswood
Occupational Health and Safety is investigating a trench collapse that occurred at a utility repair site in the community of Charleswood on Thursday.
The Calgary Fire Department was called to the 2600 block of 34 Avenue N.W. at around 10:45 a.m.
"We received a call to 911 reporting that a worker was down in a trench or a deep hole working on a sewer line, and one of the walls completely collapsed on top of him," said Carol Henke, spokesperson for the Calgary Fire Department.
She says a large volume of dirt fell on the victim.
"The hole is completely filled. Because it was at an incline, the slope actually fell away into the hole.
"The sad news is that he is still trapped down there, the hole was ten or 20 feet down, and it was a lot of earth that came down on top of him.
"Sadly in these types of situations, the outcome is not expected to be a positive one."
Henke says both an excavator and a vacuum truck were brought in to assist with the operation.
"The excavator will do the bigger work at the start because we don't know where exactly he is, and then the vac truck will come in and suck up more of the dirt," Henke said.
"The technical rescue team, the entire team is here from both fire stations, they were actually out for training, training for this type of call."
Emergency crews respond to a trench collapse in the community of Charleswood on Thursday, June 8, 2023.Henke says the worker is believed to be a private contractor.
"Probably because the issue with the sewer line was on private property.
"It's just an incredibly sad day," she said. "Someone's family will be forever changed."
The Calgary Police Service says its victim assistance support team has been made available to those who were involved in or witnessed the incident.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.