A tragic incident unfolded in Sanilac County as a worker died following the collapse of a trench wall. As reported by CBS News Detroit, the calamity occurred at approximately 4:40 p.m. Wednesday at a work site at 2353 North Lakeshore Road in Carsonville. Initially, when authorities were dispatched, the man was said to be able to communicate and breathe.

Despite efforts from fellow contractors striving to free him from an eight-foot-deep trench, the structure was deemed too perilous for further rescue attempts. The Sanilac East Fire Authority, reaching the location by 4:54 p.m., discerned quickly that no one could safely enter the hazardous area.

The gravity of the situation summoned additional rescue specialists, including the Huron County TECH Rescue and Macomb County Technical Rescue Teams, who arrived near 7:30 p.m. These teams, surrounded by the urgency of time and the frailty of human enterprise, began an operation around 9:30 p.m. to recover the man.

The worker's retrieval, culminating just before 10 p.m., signaled the end of a somber ordeal that undoubtedly left an indelible mark on all present. Sanilac EMS and the county's Medical Examiner took over the firefighters' care. The incident garnered aid from multiple organizations, including the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office, Emergency Management, and Central Dispatch offices.

Details on the tragic event were further shared by the Port Sanilac Volunteer Fire Dept via a social media post, providing an additional perspective on the emergency response.