Uintah County trench collapses; man 'lucky to be alive'


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NAPLES, Uintah County — A man was injured Wednesday when the trench he was working in collapsed, burying him up to his neck.

Police and firefighters were called about 1 p.m. to a work site near 1250 East and 1000 South where crews with Ashley Valley Water & Sewer were running pipe to a new building, Naples Police Chief Mark Watkins said.

Jared Slaugh was working in a trench that had been cut across one of the streets when the walls gave way, sending dirt and large chunks of the road surface into the trench, Watkins said.

Slaugh, 24, was pinned in the trench for at least 20 minutes before emergency responders could free him. He was taken to Ashley Regional Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

"He's darn lucky to be alive," the chief said.

Police found no evidence that the walls of the trench had been shored up in any way, according to Watkins. The investigation has been turned over to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

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Geoff Liesik

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