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Poughkeepsie Worker Killed Was Buried Under Wall Of Dirt, Concrete, FD Says

DUTCHESS COUNTY, N.Y. --  A construction worker was killed Thursday afternoon after a concrete and dirt wall collapsed on top of him at the Old Dutton Lumber site, said Poughkeepsie Fire Chief Mark Johnson.

A construction worker was killed when he was trapped under dirt and concrete while working in a trench at the old Dutton Lumber site.

A construction worker was killed when he was trapped under dirt and concrete while working in a trench at the old Dutton Lumber site.

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The unidentified worker was trapped around 3:49 p.m. while working in a trench at the One Dutchess Avenue development site. Another worker was also knocked to the ground during the trench collapse and suffered a broken hand and leg, Johnson said.  

Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were on site Friday inspecting the accident site being developed by the O'Neill Group-Dutton, he added.

Firefighters arrived on scene within minutes and found the man trapped under a mountain of concrete and dirt, Johnson said.

"They worked along with EMT's from MidHudson Regional Hospital until 5:16 p.m., when the rescue was deemed a recovery operation after a doctor at the hospital determined he was dead," he said.

Rescuers had to carefully work to recover the man's body with a 35-foot wall of dirt surrounding them, Johnson said: "There was certainly a danger of another collapse," he added.

Members of the regional collapse team, which includes the Poughkeepsie, Arlington and LaGrange fire departments, retrieved the man's body shortly after. 

The Dutchess County Medical Examiner's Office took custody of the body. The Poughkeepsie Building Department closed the site until OSHA officials could arrive to take over the investigation.

The 15-acre site is being turned into a mixed-use development of commercial space and apartments, along with a public trail.

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