2 men dead after trench collapse in Hoover Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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HAPPENED THIS AFTERNOON. JO A VERY SAD ENDING TO THIS STORY. WE GOT AN UPDATE A FEW MINUTES AGO FROM CAPTAIN SCOTT WEST ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO TOLD US THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY RETRIEVED THE REMAINS OF THE TWO GENTLEMEN WHO WERE IN THE DITCH. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 3:00 THIS AFTERNOON. THIS TOOK PLACE IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE HOUSE, THE VERY CENTER OF THAT CUL-DE-SAC. THERE WAS A DRAINAGE DITCH PROJECT ONGOING IN THE FRONT YARD. THE DITCH RAN THE FULL WIDTH OF THE FRONT YARD FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY TO THE OTHER END OF THE FRONT YARD. IT WAS 4 FEET WIDE, SO IT WAS THE WIDTH OF THE FRONT YARD LONG , AND 8 FEET DEEP. THE TWO WORKERS WERE IN THE DITCH AND AROUND 3:00 THE DITCH COLLAPSED ON TOP OF THEM. IT WAS ABOUT 7 FEET OF DIRT ACCORDING TO THE CAPTAIN. HE SAID NO ONE EVER MADE CONTACT WITH THEM WHILE THEY WERE IN THE DITCH. AROUND 5:30, AFTER A LOT OF CAREFUL DIGGING WITH 20 TO 30 RESCUE PERSONNEL THEY WERE ABLE TO REACH THE VICTIMS AND ONCE THEY DID THEY WERE DECEASED. THIS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. WE ASKED WHAT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A DITCH LIKE THIS TO COLLAPSE AND THIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. >> THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS IT COULD. DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOIL CONDITIONS TO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MOISTURE IN THE SOIL. VIBRATIONS IN THE AREA. THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE A TRENCH TO COLLAPSE. IT IS HARD TO TELL UNTIL WE DO THE INVESTIGATION AS TO WHAT CAUSED THIS COLLAPSE. JO AGAIN, THIS SITUATION IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY HOOVER AND OSHA. THEIR REPRESENTATIVE JUST SHOWED UP. MOMENTS AGO TO THE SCENE. THE CORONER’S OFFICE IS ALSO PRESENT. GOING FORWARD FROM HERE THE CORNERS OFFICE TAKE THE REMAINS OF THE WORKERS AWAY AND CONTACT THE NEXT OF KIN. FOR NOW WE ARE LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM. GU THIS ALL STARTED AROUND 3:00 THIS AFTERNOON. TWO WORKERS DIGGING A TRENCH IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA RIGHT NEAR THE GROVE SHOPPING CENTER. THEY WERE DIGGING A TRENCH FOR DRAINAGE. UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY BURIED ALIVE. WE WILL BE FILING -- WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY FOR HOURS. UNFORTUNATELY THEY LOST THEIR LIVES. FOR MORE LET’S GO TO LARISSA SCOTT. LARISSA: WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MANY OF THEM JUST HERE WATCHING WHAT IS GOING ON. ONE MAN WE SPOKE TO SAYS HE SAW THE VERY FIRST FIRE TRUCK COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS UNUSUAL, SO HE FOLLOWED IT AND SAW POLICE OFFICERS SHOWING SZABO’S -- OFFICIALS ADVISED HIM TO STAY BACK BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE. NEIGHBORS HERE EXPRESSING LOTS OF DISBELIEF AND SADNESS. CREWS ARE EXPECTED TO BE HERE FOR ABOUT

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