Construction Worker Killed When Foundation of House Being Waterproofed Collapses

The partial collapse of a house foundation was the apparent cause of the death of a 51-year old construction worker in Hanson, Massachusetts on Wednesday morning.

The worker, Gerceir Osvaldo DeFaria, was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz. He said police responded to an emergency call of a man trapped at a construction site on Dwight Street at 11:30 am.

Officials said recovery crews worked for three hours to reach and remove the body.

According to DA Cruz, the basement of the single family house was being waterproofed and a trench was being dug on the side of the single-family house when the foundation on that same side broke away and fell, pinning DeFaria underneath.

Local and state police and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the fatal incident.