Trench collapses kill, but thankfully, the quick actions of emergency responders saved the life of a construction worker who was buried when the trench he was working in collapsed late last month in Somers, New York.

According to media reports, a 29-year-old man who was part of a crew working on Somers Intermediate School’s water system was trapped in the 3- to 5-foot-deep trench for about two hours after it collapsed around him and buried him up to his neck. Local firefighters responded and were assisted by a Westchester County trench-collapse team, as well as neighboring fire departments and local highway crews, but the biggest help came from a local business.

Brian Cook of Fred A. Cook, Jr. Inc, which specializes in sewer, septic and pipeline cleaning, said he got a call about the incident from the local highway department superintendent, who asked if he had one of his vacuum trucks nearby. Luckily, he did, and the truck was on the scene in short order, vacuuming soil away from the trapped worker.

Emergency personnel were then able to remove the man from the trench and transport him to the Westchester Medical Center by helicopter. The man survived with only minor injuries, but the situation could have easily gone the other way.

The story underscores the critical importance of taking proper safety measures when working in trenches. Occupational Health and Safety Administration standards mandate that all excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse, unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock.

OSHA is investigating the incident in Somers.