Abstract: Employees #1 and #2, a plumber and a backhoe operator, were in a trench making a sewer and water lateral connection for a new house construction. The trench was 9 to 10 feet deep in the cave-in area. The trench walls were vertical with no shield, shoring, or bracing. The soil was layered gravel, black soil, gray silt, and red clay, and had been previously disturbed to a depth of 4 feet. The frost extended 2 feet down. Ground water was seeping into the bottom of the excavation at a rate of about 65 gallons per minute and was being pumped out. The trench wall collapsed just below the frost line. Employees #1 and #2 were killed. The trench had been open for approximately 4 hours at the time of the collapse. A serious citation for a violation of 29CFR 1926.652(a)(1) will be issued to the two contractors.