Emergency responders were called to Big Ridge State Park in Union County early on Thursday morning following a report of a trench collapse that left two workers trapped. Maynardville Mayor Ty Blakely confirmed the incident occurred around 8 a.m., as reported by WVLT. Initially, there was some confusion about which company's crew was involved. Mayor Blakely had mentioned Hallsdale-Powell Utility District, but the company later clarified that none of its workers were present at the site. The company involved was identified as Norris Brothers Excavating, as responders on the scene confirmed.
The rescue operation, led by the Paulette Volunteer Fire Department with support from multiple emergency agencies, has so far successfully extricated one worker from the trench. The individual was rescued around 1:20 p.m. and flown in critical condition to the University of Tennessee Medical Center by a Lifestar helicopter. "The man was alert during the process," Andrew Reed, director of Emergency Medical Service in Union County, told WATE. Efforts continued to free the second worker, with the understanding that the mission would likely swiftly need to transition to a recovery operation.
Details about the nature of the collapse have not been made available, but according to 3B Media News, the trench was described as large, with the expectation that the rescue efforts would prove complex and lengthy. To aid the endeavor, vacuum trucks and other specialized equipment were dispatched to the location at 1075 Big Ridge Park Road, near a campground in the 3,687-acre state park known for its terrain.
The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) was said to be investigating the incident, Knoxville Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks stated in a report by WVLT. Shorelining and barriers were in place to prevent any further collapses as crews worked on-site. The list of agencies responding to the emergency included the Knoxville Fire Department Technical Rescue Team, Oak Ridge fire trench team, Union County Rescue, Union County EMS, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and Big Ridge State Park Rangers. The Knoxville Utilities Board also participated, providing additional personnel and equipment.
