18-07-2025
Four hospitalized after Delaware County trench collapse
SUNBURY, Ohio (WCMH) — One man was buried up to his neck in dirt and mud after a trench collapse Monday at a Delaware County subdivision.
According to BST&G Fire Chief Jeff Kovach, the crew was installing storm drains and waste management systems about 30 feet underground at a subdivision on Titleist Drive and Mill Stone Drive in Sunbury when the trench collapsed, trapping two men.
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Kovach said one man was buried up to his neck in dirt and mud for more than two hours as about a dozen first responding agencies worked by hand to dig him out during a 'prolonged and meticulous operation' due to the danger of the trench collapsing even more. The wet dirt made the rescue efforts that much harder, the chief added.
'You have to be extremely careful,' Kovach said. 'It's one of the most hazardous rescues you can perform. Like the mayor had said, these typically end in tragedy, and the fact that both the victims survived is amazing in itself, but very labor intensive, a lot of equipment, a lot of personnel, especially with the heat and humidity.'
The second man, according to a press release from BST&G Fire, was buried up to his waist; this man was rescued in a fairly short amount of time. Both men were taken to an area hospital for treatment.
According to the press release, when first responders arrived at the scene, several people were in the trench trying to free the two men.
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Kovach said that two other people were hospitalized due to injuries related to the heat after trying to rescue their coworkers. The conditions of those hospitalized have not been released.
In addition to BST&G, other departments that responded to the scene include fire companies from Porter Kingdom, Genoa Township, Harlem Township, the City of Delaware, Berlin Township, Orange Township, Liberty Township, Monroe Township, and Columbus as well as Delaware County EMS, Sunbury Police, the Sunbury Service Department, and MedFlight.
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