The Ada County Coroner’s Office has identified two men that were killed in a fatal construction accident on Tuesday, May 3rd.
36-year-old Bert A. Smith Jr., of Caldwell, Idaho and 26-year-old Ernesto Saucedo-Zapata of Nampa, Idaho both died of asphyxia due to compression after a trench collapsed onto them near the corner of Gary Lane and Hill Road. The crew was digging the trench to install a utility line when the collapse occurred.
A third man was only partially buried and taken to the hospital. That man suffered non-life threatening injuries.
At 9:30 p.m., both men were extricated from the trench and declared deceased.
The incident is currently under investigation by the Boise Police Department and OSHA.
The Eagle Fire Department, ACHD, Ada County Paramedics, TIP, and OSHA all assisted in the rescue efforts.
