02-08-2025
'Unforgettable:' Friends honor construction worker killed in Goodyear accident at vigil
Nate Costly organized a vigil to honor his childhood friend, Ronald Andrew Baquera Jr., who died earlier in the week at a construction site in Goodyear.
Baquera, 44, was killed on July 28 after becoming trapped in a 6- to 7-foot trench near 183rd Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. He was buried under dirt while working at the site.
Due to the complexity of the scene and safety concerns, rescue crews were unable to reach Baquera in time. About 30 minutes after arriving, the operation shifted from a rescue to a recovery. His body was recovered the following morning, on July 29.
Affectionately called "Ronnie," Costly called him a "loving father and a loyal friend" who was "brutally honest, endlessly caring, and unforgettable," in the vigil invitation. The vigil was scheduled for August 1.
Costly wrote that Baquera was survived by his two sons and a daughter.
"He will be deeply missed," Costly wrote.
Construction workers react to death
Just hours before the vigil, construction crews were still at work in the area. Freshly poured sidewalks near an elementary school were being smoothed, while a bulldozer sat on bare dirt just feet from newly planted grass, kept green by running sprinklers.
Fred Gonzalez, a 22-year veteran of the construction industry, was working in a trench near the one that collapsed days earlier. Alongside him was his 18-year-old son, Adam Gonzalez. The two had been hired to inspect the pipe connected to a fire hydrant to ensure it hadn't been damaged in the accident
'It definitely feels eerie,' said Gonzalez, who was working for the Goodyear-based firm of Petra Consulting.
Gonzalez said he didn't know the man who died, but felt a kinship with him.
'We all are involved in the underground industry,' he said. The trench they were working in was shored up with a metal box-like structure. Still, he said, the job comes with danger. 'It can happen,' he said.
How did Baquera get trapped in Goodyear?
The Goodyear Fire Department responded to a call at 1:10 p.m. on July 28 when Baquera got stuck in a trench.
The fire department responded within six minutes of receiving the call, according to Ruben Real, a spokesperson for the Goodyear Fire Department. The Goodyear Police Department, Phoenix Fire Department's technical rescue team, APS and Southwest Gas workers were also on hand to assist with the rescue.
Baquera was buried under a large amount of dirt, according to Real.
As crews dug, the trench continued to collapse as the dirt was removed, which created a dangerous condition for Baquera and the rescue crews. That led the department to pause and take a 'more methodical recovery approach,' Real told The Republic.
Operations resumed into the evening and worked through the night with heavy equipment from utility partners. Crews removed the worker's body from the trench around 2 a.m. July 29, Real said.
Who's investigating the death?
The incident remained under investigation alongside partner agencies, Real said.
The compliance division of the Industrial Commission of Arizona started its investigation July 28, said Charles Carpenter, a spokesman for the state's workplace safety agency.
The results of such an investigation typically take four to five months, Carpenter said. Recommendations of citations and proposed penalties are presented to the state board for approval.
Republic reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Friends honor construction worker killed in Goodyear accident
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