The city of Rome is mourning the loss of a longtime employee of the water department after a trench collapsed and crushed him Thursday night.
“It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of our dear colleague, James Rayburn,” the city said in a statement.
Rayburn, 55, was killed and his colleague, Michael Walters, was injured as they worked on a sewer service for a new business on Coosawattee Avenue near the Westwood neighborhood, according to the city. Rayburn had worked for the water department for 23 years.
The men were supervising the project when the ditch they were working in caved in on top of them, Rome police said. It was the second night of construction.
When police arrived around 11:30 p.m., they found Rayburn unresponsive under dirt and concrete with an obvious head injury. He was freed by firefighters and taken to Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center but did not survive.
Walters was able to free himself and was also taken to the hospital for a leg injury that wasn’t life-threatening, officials said.
The men were in the ditch “to install something,” a police report stated.
“During this incredibly difficult time, we ask that our community respect the privacy of Rayburn’s family and friends, as well as Michael Walters and his coworkers, as we grieve the loss of such a cherished individual,” the city said. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with them as we all mourn together.”
A third-party municipality risk consultant has been asked to investigate the incident, according to the city.
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