An investigation is expected to continue Monday into what caused the collapse of a 10-foot-deep trench that killed two construction workers near a major Stockton intersection over the weekend.
Firefighters were called to the 7900 block of north El Dorado Street, near east Hammer Lane, at 5:15 a.m. Saturday after receiving an urgent call reporting that two people were believed to have been trapped by a cave-in, the Stockton Fire Department said.
The specifics of the construction job, including what type of work was being done, were not immediately available. The project was not being conducted by the city of Stockton, city spokesperson Tony Mannor said.
The victims were identified by the San Joaquin County Medical Examiner’s Office as Raul Cristostomo De La Cruz, 34, of Stockton and Raul Zepda, 49, of Lodi.
Reports from KCRA said the workers had been at the site Friday and were last seen going into the trench around 5:30 that evening. Another employee returned to the job site Saturday morning and found the men’s vehicle still there, with their cellphones inside, the news outlet reported.
Once fire crews arrived, they worked to secure and stabilize the area before beginning a technical rescue operation of the entombed workers, officials said. The trench was approximately 10 feet deep prior to the collapse. The city’s Public Works Department supplied a backhoe to assist in the excavation efforts.
When crews were finally able to reach the workers, it was too late; both were found dead.
A man who said he had worked with both of the victims told ABC10 the workers were digging drainage at what he described as a new supermarket that is about to open.
“The drainage was the last job. That’s what my friend had told me,” Jose Alfredo Flores told the news outlet Sunday. “They were doing the last job before opening the store. And they went in to hurry up and try to finish the job.”
An investigation into the fatal collapse is being conducted with the assistance of the Stockton Police Department and city code enforcement officers, officials said.
Trench collapses are not uncommon. According to an October 2022 report from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, there were 26 worker deaths in the state during a five-year period and 207 injuries.
The government agency typically investigates these kinds of cave-ins and considers them highly preventable when the proper safety measures are taken.
Between 2021 and 2025, Cal/OSHA said it issued 90 trench safety violations that resulted in deaths or injuries to workers. Those violations can include hefty fines.
In June, Cal/OSHA requested employers take part in a five-day safety campaign during National Trench Safety Stand Down Week. The agency asked all companies to stop work in order to review safety guidelines with their employees.
“Trenching is one of the most dangerous jobs in construction and employers are legally required to protect their workers,” Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee said in a statement.
It’s unclear what kind of shoring or barriers, if any, were in place before the Stockton collapse. Cal/OSHA requires a protective system be in place for trenches deeper than 5 feet. Exceptions are granted if a trench is surrounded by stable rock.
Meanwhile, a memorial of flowers and candles was growing near the site of the collapse, in front of the former Lion Supermarket and ABC Tile storefronts, CBS News in Sacramento reported.