Tense day ends with three hurt, one dead in trench collapse
>>> WRAL NEWS ON FOX 50,
COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON.
>> DENIED, THREE VICTIMS ARE
RECOVERING AND ONE PERSON DIED
AFTER A TRAGIC CONSTRUCTION
ACCIDENT.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US, I'M DEBRA MORGAN.
>> I'M GERALD OWENS, WE ARE
LOOKING INTO SAFETY RECORDS AND
REACHING OUT TO THE COMPANY WE
BELIEVE WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF
THE PROJECT.
>> WE WERE AT THE SCENE TODAY
AS CREWS RUSHED TO RESCUE THE
TRAPPED WORKERS.
ROSE?
>> Reporter: THERE ARE STILL A
LOT OF QUESTIONS SURROUNDING
THIS TRAGIC INCIDENT, PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITY, THEY ARE
CONCERNED.
A LOT OF THEM CAME UP TO ME
HERE ASKING IF WE HAD ANY
UPDATES, AND WE ARE LEARNING
MORE ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK TO GET
THESE WORKERS OUT.
>> THEY WERE TRAPPED.
THEY WERE PINNED BY THE DIRT.
>> IT'S JUST HEARTBREAKING.
>> Reporter: THE CALL CAME IN
AROUND 11 AM, MULTIPLE WORKERS
WERE STUCK, EVERYONE WENT TO
WORK.
>> WE HAD ABOUT 50 TO 60
RESCUERS ON SCENE.
>> Reporter: FOUR RESCUERS WERE
TRAPPED, ONE WALKED OUT ON HIS
OWN, THE OTHER WAS TRAPPED IN
THE DIRT.
>> THE SECOND INDIVIDUAL WAS
BURIED DEEPER, UP ABOVE HIS
WAISTLINE.
>> Reporter: RESCUE CREWS FROM
DURHAM IN RALEIGH USED THEIR
HANDS TO DIG AND BUCKETS, WHILE
WITNESSES PRAYED FOR THE BEST.
>> I HOPE THEY ARE OKAY BUT
THAT IS DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
THEY ARE WORKING IN.
>> Reporter: HE KNOWS FIRSTHAND
THE DANGER INVOLVED IN THESE
JOBS.
>> YOU JUST TRAIN AND TEACH
YOUR EMPLOYEES, DON'T TAKE
UNNECESSARY RISKS.
>> Reporter: AFTER ALMOST 6
LONG HOURS, THE FOURTH WORKERS
BODY WAS RECOVERED.
FIRE OFFICIALS SAY IT TOOK A
LOT OF RESOURCES TO GET TO HIM.
>> VARIOUS TOOLS FROM LADDERS
TO SHOVELS TO A VACUUM TRUCK,
AND DUE TO HIS POSITION AS
WELL, IT MADE IT AN EXTENDED
RECOVERY.
>> Reporter: IT WAS NOT THE
OUTCOME EVERYONE WAS HOPING
FOR.
>> SOMEBODY'S FAMILY IS CHANGED
FOREVER.
>> Reporter: AS FOR THOSE OTHER
THREE WORKERS, ONE WAS ABLE TO
WALK AWAY ACCORDING TO EMS
OFFICIALS AND THE OTHER TWO ARE
EXPECTED TO RECOVER AND LIFE IS
GOING ON HERE AS FIRST
RESPONDERS HAVE ALL LEFT THE
SCENE.
THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS AND A
FAMILY IS GRIEVING TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU.
KEY QUESTIONS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WHAT WENT
WRONG AND WHY?
THE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT YET
CONFIRM WHICH COMPANIES IT IS
INVESTIGATING BUT WE KNOW THE
CONSTRUCTION GROUP OUT OF
CHARLOTTE HAD TRUCKS ON SITE,
THEY SPECIALIZE IN BUILDING GAS
STATIONS AND ON ITS WEBSITE
CONFIRMS MORE THAN 2000
SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.
WE LOOKED INTO THE SAFETY
RECORD, WE FOUND A YEAR AGO THE
COMPANY RECEIVED AN INERTIAL
$3700 FINE FOR AERIAL LIFT IN
FALL PROTECTION VIOLATIONS AT A
PROJECT IN VIRGINIA.
IN 2015, DURING CONSTRUCTION AT
A GAS STATION IN DURHAM, THE
COMPANY WAS FINED FOR ANOTHER
$600.