Two unaccounted for in trench collapse at St. Paul construction site
Firefighters in St. Paul responded to a report of a trench collapse at a Highland Park construction site Friday afternoon and are working to find two missing workers.
The two were working in the trench when it collapsed, said Deputy Fire Chief Roy Mokosso.
St. Paul fire crews were called to the 700 block of Mount Curve Boulevard, near Ford Parkway, about 2:45 p.m. They’ve been stabilizing and shoring the trench, and St. Paul public works and Minneapolis fire department are assisting.
“Based on the size of boulders and type of soil, it’s believed that the two individuals would have perished … minutes after the collapse,” Mokosso said, who described the firefighters’ work as “a recovery operation.”
Another worker who was in the area called 911 after attempting a brief rescue, according to Mokosso.
“We are so distraught about this family’s loss and this construction company’s loss,” said Assistant Fire Chief Matt Simpson. “We come to work every day to perform our jobs, and we train for these type of events. Time was just not on our side today.”
The sorrow at the site was in direct contrast to what a passerby saw earlier Friday.
Susan Drake, who lives in the neighborhood, said she was heading to Starbucks Friday morning on Mount Curve Boulevard and noticed four construction workers who appeared to be taking a break. She said they looked relaxed and happy, “in good moods on this beautiful day.”
“They seemed like such nice guys,” Drake added.
Related Articles
Crime & Public Safety | Purple Line drops downtown White Bear Lake, considers Century College
Crime & Public Safety | Property owners file federal lawsuit over St. Paul rent control
Crime & Public Safety | Juneteenth in the Twin Cities: What’s open, what’s closed and what’s on tap
Crime & Public Safety | Waste Management to provide Stillwater with roll-off dumpsters for yard waste collection
Crime & Public Safety | New St. Paul ordinance allows Sunday micro-distillery sales
