Construction worker buried alive on site
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An Arizona construction worker died on the job after being trapped beneath six feet of collapsing earth. Ronald Andrew Baquera Jr., or 'Ronnie,' 44, was working at a site in Goodyear on Monday when a trench suddenly collapsed. He was left trapped beneath six to seven feet of fast-moving dirt, according to AZ Central.
Emergency crews arrived at the construction site at around 1pm within six minutes of receiving a call about a man trapped in a ditch. When the Goodyear Fire Department arrived, they found coworkers urgently struggling to free Baquera, who was buried beneath a massive, crushing weight of dirt. Rescue crews quickly recognized that the massive load of dirt above Baquera was creating dangerously unstable conditions within the trench.
Because of sensitive infrastructure on site - including gas lines - crews were forced to slow their rescue efforts and use specialized equipment. At approximately 2am on July 29 - more than 12 hours after Baquera became trapped - crews successfully recovered his body from the trench. Fred Gonzalez was working in a trench with his 18-year-old son just feet from the one that collapsed only days earlier.
Baquera leaves behind two sons and a daughter. Nate Costly, a childhood friend, organized a vigil on Friday. 'Ronnie was a loving father and a loyal friend - brutally honest, endlessly caring, and unforgettable,' Costly wrote in a heartfelt tribute to Facebook. 'He will be deeply missed.' Just hours before the vigil, construction crews were still active at the site, smoothing freshly poured sidewalks, while a bulldozer rested on a patch of dirt only feet from newly planted grass.
Shatera Williams, who had known Baquera since she was 10, honored his life by singing a soulful gospel song, as reported by AZ Central. Echoing the sentiments of many, Williams described Baquera as a 'fixer' - someone who would 'fix things with laughter or his hands'. On the same day as the tragedy, the Industrial Commission of Arizona - along with partner agencies - launched an investigation into whether there were safety violations at the site, according to ABC 15.
Charles Carpenter, a spokesman for the state's workplace safety agency, emphasized that investigation results typically take four to five months to be finalized. A GoFundMe page has been created to support the family with funeral and memorial expenses during this difficult time. 'Ronnie Baquera was a fun-loving, hard-working man who would do anything to help those around him,' the description reads. 'His warm heart, generous spirit, and unwavering dedication to his family and friends touched everyone who knew him.' By Saturday afternoon, the fundraiser had already raised $25,175 toward its $30,000 goal.
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