Trench Collapse Kills Worker and Leaves 2 Others Hospitalized

One worker has died and two others were injured after a trench collapsed in Yarmouth, Massachusetts on Tuesday morning.

The accident happened around 8:30 a.m. in front of the Skipper Chowder House on South Shore Drive during ongoing sewer construction. Yarmouth Fire Chief Enrique Arrascue described the rescue effort as “very complicated,” saying crews were still trying to recover the man who died.

The fire department initially responded to reports of two workers trapped in the trench. A third worker jumped in to help, showing quick thinking in a dangerous situation. One worker was buried up to his waist and had to be flown to a trauma center in Rhode Island. The man who jumped in managed to free himself and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

As rescuers worked, one man could be heard calling for his girlfriend, who responded from nearby, shouting, “I’m here!”

Neighbors said they watched the dramatic scene unfold. One woman told WBZ-TV she heard cries for help and saw construction crews rushing to assist. She said her building’s water and power were shut off as the rescue intensified.

The ongoing construction project is upgrading homes and businesses from septic systems to sewer, a process that has taken two years. The witness shared how close the community had grown to the workers, saying, “We see them all day. We watch them eat lunch. We watch them hang out together, so we’ve gotten to know a lot of the guys that work here. It’s just kind of holding your breath, hoping everybody’s okay.”

The incident has raised concerns about the safety record of the excavation company involved. The Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH) called for accountability, pointing to Revoli Construction’s “troubling history of significant health and safety records,” including a 2005 incident involving workers in an unprotected 14-foot trench in Gloucester, and a 2006 accident where a truck struck a power line.

According to OSHA, Revoli Construction has six inspection reports from 2015 to 2025, with at least two finding serious safety violations. Some penalties were later reduced or settled.

Yarmouth awarded Revoli Construction a nearly $18 million contract in 2023 for its wastewater collection and recovery project. WBZ-TV reached out to the company for comment but did not receive a response.