Abstract: At 1:45 p.m. on January 16, 2013, an employee and a coworker were taking turns entering a previously excavated trench to do a final hand dig to find a sewer pipe. A spade shovel was being used for this task. According to his coworker, the employee was hand digging in the trench and then stood up to turn towards the backhoe to state that he had found the pipe. Moments later the trench wall closest to a house partially caved in engulfing the employee completely other than his right hand. The employees coworker and the owner of the company immediately jumped in an attempt to dig him out. At this time the employee still had the ability to talk even though he was under the dirt. The coworker stated that they dug for several minutes until it was apparent that they were not going to be able to get the employee free due to the amount of dirt on top of him. The owner instructed the coworker to call for help, at that point the coworker called the owners wife who called 911 to have emergency services dispatched. Emergency Medical Services and the Fire Department arrived on the scene and immediately attempted rescue efforts. When a pulse could not be felt in the employee's exposed arm, the EMSs focus went from rescue efforts to recovery. The employee was killed from asphyxiation. A city worker was requested to assist in the extraction of body. The employees body was transported away from the site by the county coroner.