On March 16, 2010 at 1037 hrs the Milford Fire Department Emergency Operations Center received a telephone call reporting a worker had been partially buried in a trench collapse at 686 Naugatuck Avenue. Dispatchers sent Engine 3 and Rescue 2 and quickly added Engine 4, Tower 1, Technical Rescue Unit 234, Car 8 (Safety Officer) and Car 4 (Shift Commander) to the assignment. When Engine 3 arrived on the scene, they were met with a worker that was down approximately 10’ inside a trench. During the process of placing concrete pipe, the protective system that was in place failed and caused a slough collapse of dirt and the buckling of a protective wall. Prior to the arrival of the Fire Department, construction workers had begun to dig their co-worker out of the collapsed dirt. Fire Department paramedics and firefighters entered the trench and began to provide Basic and Advanced Life Support to the patient. The worker sustained trauma injuries to his lower legs and lower back. He was packaged on a backboard, placed in a stokes basket and lifted vertically out of the trench. He was transported to Bridgeport Hospital Trauma Center by American Medical Response.
Fire Department spokesman, Captian Chris Zak said, "This low frequency, high risk call was extremely hazardous to the responding units. A chance of a secondary collapse was possible and safety measures where in place to protect the firefighters inside of the trench."
At this time, Connecticut OSHA and the Milford Police Department are investigating the incident.
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