Crime & Safety
UPDATE: Identity Confirmed on Construction Worker Killed in Trench Collapse
Rescue workers worked into the night to recover the body on the site of a residential Studio City construction site.
Javier Bautista-Cruz, 33, of Los Angeles is the construction worker who was killed in Studio City when a trench collapsed upon him.
The worker died on Tuesday afternoon when he was buried up to the neck at a residential construction site off Coldwater Canyon Boulevard just north of Mulholland Drive.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said, "He was working in the trench alone with hand tools. The foreman left the site and drove away for a period of time, and other workers were working at other parts of the house."
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The construction site is located at 3931 N. Oeste Ave.
Nearly 100 firefighters and search and rescue team members responded to the call reporting the collapse, which came in at 2:51 p.m. The man was declared dead at 3:15 p.m.
Find out what's happening in Studio Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Humphrey said fire officials had not been able to find anyone who witnessed the trench collapse. The man was discovered partially buried by the foreman when he returned to the construction site, Humphrey said.
The name of the construction company or subcontractor has not yet been released. Humphrey did not know if the trench was shored up properly.
"The other workers were naturally upset, and when we arrived his head and face were clear, but he was unconscious and not breathing," Humphrey said. "There was literally tons of pressure and dirt on top of him."
Cruz was digging a line for a sewer pipe when the collapse occurred, Humphrey said. The trench was 2 feet wide and 8 feet deep.
The area is off a cul-de-sac in a residential area near Coldwater Canyon Park.
Officials for Cal-OSHA, a state agency that investigates construction site accidents, is still investigating the accident for potential violations of the trench digging.
"The man was beyond medical help when we arrived," Humphrey said. "It's a sad situation how this man expired."
Eight companies of Los Angeles firefighters, five LAFD rescue ambulances, one heavy rescue, one Urban Search and Rescue Unit, one Rehab Unit, one Emergency Medical Services Battalion Captain, two Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and one Division Chief Officer Command Team responded for a total of 65 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Assistant Chief David Yamahata.
Check out the photos taken by local photographer Michael Corral at www.michaelcorral.com in the photo gallery above.
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