The 43-year-old construction worker killed in Monday’s trench collapse has been identified as Selvin Antulio Lopez-Castillo of Plainfield, NJ.
At approximately 3:57 p.m. yesterday, the Franklin Township Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting a worker trapped in a trench at a construction site at 14 Nueville Drive in the Somerset section of the Township.
Upon arrival, officers found several workers attempting to dig the victim out.
The workers attempted to rescue him for several minutes prior to calling 9-1-1. Due to the instability and fearing another collapse, the workers were order out of the trench.
Firefighters from Community, East Franklin, Somerset Fire and Rescue and New Brunswick Fire responded to the scene in an effort to rescue Lopez-Castillo.
The trench was approximately three feet wide by approximately 8 feet deep.
The house was under construction and the workers were digging the trench for utilities.
Firefighters were able to extricate Lopez-Castillo from trench at 5:43 p.m. Medical personnel from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital pronounced Lopez-Castro dead at the scene at 6:10 p.m.
Representatives from the Franklin Township Building Department and OSHA responded to the scene after learning of the incident.
Vince Lupo, Franklin Township’s Construction Official confirmed that the sites did have valid permits at the time of the incident.
OSHA is conducting an investigation into the incident.
After a preliminary investigation, it appears that the collapse was caused because the workers failed to meet proper trench safety requirements and a lack of shoring.
Franklin Township Construction Officials have issued a “Stop Work Order” that will remain in effect until OSHA has concluded its investigation.