Newberry County, S.C. – A tragic accident in Newberry County has led to the death of a construction worker after the trench he was working in collapsed. The incident occurred earlier today, around 10:50 a.m., near the intersection of Macedonia Church Road and Long Road, a few miles south of the town of Prosperity. The Newberry County Sheriff's Office responded to a distress call made to the county’s 911 center reporting that a construction worker had been buried in a trench.

Deputies, along with Fairview Fire and Lake Murray Rescue, arrived on the scene where they were told that the worker, who had been laying a water line in a trench, was trapped when the walls of the trench collapsed. The construction worker was performing routine work when the trench, which was likely not properly secured or shored up, fell in, burying him beneath tons of earth.

Sheriff Lee Foster, speaking about the incident, stated, “A person was in the ditch, putting the pipe together, and then the walls of the trench collapsed on him.” The sheer force of the collapse trapped the worker, and rescue efforts to free him began immediately.

As the initial responders arrived on the scene, they were joined by specialized trench rescue teams from Whitmire and Newberry Fire Departments, as well as rescue units from the Columbia Fire Department and Lexington County Fire Services. These teams are specifically trained in dealing with trench and confined space rescues, but unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they were unable to save the worker.

“We do know there’s a period of time, don’t know how long right now, that the workers that were there were trying to extricate him from the ditch before the EMS and sheriff's office and the fire department arrived,” Sheriff Foster added. This initial period of effort by the workers on-site was commendable, but the extent of the collapse made it nearly impossible for anyone other than trained rescuers to assist.

Witnesses living nearby, such as neighbor Julie Bolland, described the scene as chaotic. “I would say 10 to 15 fire trucks and their associated vehicles with them. It was backed up from a mile down that way to a mile that way," Bolland recalled. The heavy presence of emergency vehicles underscored the scale of the response to this deadly accident.

Despite the swift and coordinated efforts of local emergency responders, the rescue attempts were unsuccessful, and the construction worker was confirmed dead at the scene. The Newberry County Coroner’s Office has now joined the investigation into the worker's death to determine the exact cause and to ensure that proper safety protocols were followed during the operation.

Trench collapses are unfortunately not uncommon in the construction industry and are among the most dangerous types of workplace accidents. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), trench cave-ins are one of the leading causes of construction worker fatalities. The collapse in Newberry County serves as a tragic reminder of the risks construction workers face daily, particularly when proper safety measures are not in place.

The investigation will likely look into several factors, including the adequacy of the trench shoring and whether safety protocols were followed. OSHA regulations require that trenches 5 feet or deeper be properly reinforced to prevent collapses, and the circumstances of the Newberry County incident will be thoroughly examined to ensure that these measures were in place and adhered to.

Construction sites are heavily regulated by local, state, and federal safety standards, but enforcement can sometimes be challenging, especially in smaller, less scrutinized operations. In this case, it is unclear whether the trench involved met all necessary safety standards, but it is clear that the collapse could have been prevented with the right precautions. Authorities will likely focus on ensuring accountability for this tragic accident and push for further safety improvements in the construction industry.

In the aftermath, the Newberry County community is grieving the loss of the worker, whose name has not yet been released pending notification of family. This tragedy highlights the importance of safety training and protocol in the construction industry, where workers face daily risks that can be mitigated with proper safeguards and a commitment to safety from employers.

The Newberry County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that the investigation into the worker’s death is ongoing, and additional details will be provided as more information becomes available.

As the community comes to terms with the loss, local authorities and safety advocates are reminding construction companies to take every necessary precaution to protect the lives of their workers, as tragedies like this one can often be prevented with the right measures in place.

Originally reported by Tony Santaella in WLTX 19 Plus.