Abstract: At approximately 3:45 p.m. Employees #1 and #2 were in a trench that measured approximately 8 ft deep and 4 1/2 ft wide (slightly more than bucket width). They worked for a small company that had been contracted to lay 8 inch PVC sewer pipe in preparation for the construction of a mobile home park. The trench, which was being dug by a backhoe, widened out at the top to between 5 and 7 ft. The top two feet of soil appeared to be primarily sand; below that was a mixture of clay, hard gumbo, limerock, and sand. Rain or drizzle had fallen on and off for about 5 hours. The employees were in the bottom of the trench, waiting for pipe to be handed to them, when a 20 ft long, 5 ft wide, and 8 ft deep section of the north wall fell on them. Employee #1 died of asphyxia and Employee #2 was hospitalized for body bruises. It was Employee #1's first day on the job for this employer, although he had previous work experience in this field, and it was Employee #2's second day on the job.