ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Officials said Thursday they are looking at a Wednesday incident that led to a man being trapped in a collapsed construction site trench for eight hours until rescue crews removed him to safety.
Joanna Hawkins, deputy regional director of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Public Affairs, said the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the incident.
- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the trench collapse that occurred in Allentown on Jan. 11, 2023
- Ed Simon Contracting LLC is the contractor involved in the project
- The City of Allentown has confirmed a valid Building Standards & Safety permit and an expired excavation permit for the company
Ed Simon Contracting LLC, based in Allentown, which was formerly Simon Contracting Inc., is the company in charge of the trench work, according to Hawkins and the City of Allentown.
OSHA documentation shows a 2016 incident that resulted in three serious violations involving trench excavation hazards and a final penalty amount of $5,500.
Hawkins said that was part of OSHA’s regional emphasis program on trenching.
Hawkins said OSHA has up to six months to complete the investigation.
Allentown Communications Manager Genesis Ortega said the city still is gathering information about the permits needed and obtained for the work being done at the site where Wednesday's incident happened.
The city knows the contractors had a valid Building Standards & Safety permit, she said, and was permitted to do a street cut on Wayne Street from sewer line alley to the home where the collapse took place.
The contractor also holds an expired excavation permit through the bureau of Engineering.
Efforts to reach Ed Simon Contracting LLC for comment were unsuccessful.
In the incident, just before 2 p.m. Wednesday, the backyard hole being worked in collapsed. One man remained trapped, partially buried, while the other was rescued via ladder immediately by firefighters upon arrival.
The man who remained trapped was covered in dirt up to about his chin, but remained responsive.
Crews from the Allentown Fire Department, Allentown EMS, the Allentown Police Department, the Allentown Public Works Department and Lehigh County Special Operations worked to rescue the victim and ensure he was safe and able to breathe.
Emergency crew rescuers announced about 10:15 p.m. that "He's out!" to applause from a group of bystanders.
