An elderly man was killed and another injured this afternoon after the trench they were working in collapsed on 7th Avenue in Knysna, Western Cape.
ER24 paramedics, along with fire and metro services, arrived on scene and found a backhoe near a collapsed trench.
It was later reported that two men had been working in the 3-metre-deep trench when it collapsed, trapping one man fully while the second man had his one arm and leg trapped.
Paramedics assessed the man, who had already been dug out by co-workers, and found that he had sustained only minor injuries. He was transported by ER24 to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
Rescue officers from fire and metro services had to use specialised rescue equipment to dig the man out from the trench. Once freed from the trench, it was found that the man had already succumbed to his fatal injuries. Nothing more could be done for the patient and he was declared dead on scene.
Local authorities were on scene for further investigations.
