Injured worker plucked from trench

Published 11:17 pm Tuesday, September 16, 2008

EVERETT — A construction worker was hit in the back of the head with a cable while working in a deep trench Tuesday afternoon.

Crews rescued the man from the trench and took him to the hospital with injuries that are not considered life threatening.

The man works for Plats Plus Inc., a Marysville construction company.

He was with a crew installing sewer extensions along 81st Avenue NE near Highway 204 west of Lake Stevens when he was injured about 1:30 p.m.

He was working inside a concrete box when a cable splice broke and hit him in the back of the head, company spokesman Paul Nolan said.

Police and firefighters from across the county were called to rescue the man from the trench, which was 30 to 35 feet deep, Marysville Fire Department spokeswoman Stephanie Price said.

Crews from Lake Stevens, Monroe, Marysville, Everett, Lynnwood and other areas responded.

Arnie Johnson, whose house overlooks the construction site, said he was fixing his car in a garage when the accident happened.

He said he couldn’t see into the trench or hear any noise at all. Johnson said he realized something had gone wrong when he heard the operator’s voice: “Are you all right?” And a couple of seconds later: “I’ll call the ambulance.”

Price said the cause of the accident is unclear but investigators are looking into it.

Since it’s a workplace injury, the state Department of Labor and Industries is conducting an investigation, spokeswoman Elaine Fischer said.

Reporter Katya Yemifova: 425-339-3452 or kyemifova@heraldnet.com.