Authorities ID workers killed in trench collapse
Posted: Sunday, September 14, 2008
CENTER, Neb. -- Four construction workers are dead after a drainage trench collapsed Friday morning near Verdel on Highway 12, the Knox County Sheriff's Office reported.
Sheriff Jim Janecek said in a written statement that a construction crew from Prouty Construction in O'Neill, Neb., was laying matting in a trench and one of its employees, Travis L. Lunn, 24 of O'Neill, fell in the trench as a portion of it collapsed. Three other workers, Gary Forsch, 61, of Spencer, Neb., Brad Kelly, 43, of Lynch, Neb., and David Peterson, 35, of O'Neill, attempted to rescue their co-worker and were also trapped in the collapsing trench.
The six-mile, $2.26 million project was scheduled to be completed in October.
The roadway has been damaged by flooding because of high Missouri River water levels. Flooding had saturated the roadway embankment, creating potential for erosion.
It hadn't rained in a few days in the area, but sheriff's officials said water appeared to be seeping into the trench at the site of the collapse.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-- Meagan Sexton
Sheriff Jim Janecek said in a written statement that a construction crew from Prouty Construction in O'Neill, Neb., was laying matting in a trench and one of its employees, Travis L. Lunn, 24 of O'Neill, fell in the trench as a portion of it collapsed. Three other workers, Gary Forsch, 61, of Spencer, Neb., Brad Kelly, 43, of Lynch, Neb., and David Peterson, 35, of O'Neill, attempted to rescue their co-worker and were also trapped in the collapsing trench.
The six-mile, $2.26 million project was scheduled to be completed in October.
The roadway has been damaged by flooding because of high Missouri River water levels. Flooding had saturated the roadway embankment, creating potential for erosion.
It hadn't rained in a few days in the area, but sheriff's officials said water appeared to be seeping into the trench at the site of the collapse.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-- Meagan Sexton
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