A worker for Bobo and Bain Constrcution Co. doing trench work for a city sewer project near the Hope Indutsrial Park was rescued Tuesday afternoon from a cave-in which left him buried under a mound of soggy ground.
Casey Jones, 39, of Hope, was taken by Pafford Emergency Medical Services to Christus St. Michael Medical Center in Texarkana after co-workers, industrial park company employees, and first responders dug frantically for some 30 minutes to free him.
Jones was treated and released from the emergency room at St. Michael’s, according to the patient information desk.
“He’s okay,” company owner Mitch Bobo said Wednesday. “He walked out of there after they got him free.”
Neither Bobo nor site foreman Roger Simmons were able to comment at press time Wednesday on the cause of the accident. Both were investigating the cause Wednesday.
“There are some men in the hole right now making sure it doesn’t happen again,” Simmons said this morning.
Bobo said the accident initially appeared to be “in the line of what we do in ground excavation.” He referred other comment to Simmons.
Hempstead County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy James Singleton said Tuesday that sheriff’s deputies, first responders from Cross Roads and Perrytown, along with Pafford EMS, were dispatched to the site at the intersection of Arkansas Highway 32 and Hempstead County Road 26 shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday.
“Upon arrival, deputies were told that four employees of Bobo and Bain Construction were working at the intersection digging with heavy construction equipment when dirt collapsed and fell on Casey Jones, 39, of Hope,” Singleton said.
He said co-workers immediately contacted 911 for help. Singleton said the cave-in was at the bottom of what he estimated to be a 17-foot deep trench.
“They immediately began to dig with shovels trying to reach Mr. Jones, along with City of Hope employees, and employees from Funder America also came to assist in the rescue,” Singleton said. “After about 30 minutes, workers reached Mr. Jones, who after being administered oxygen by EMS personnel, walked up out of the trench on his own and was transported to a Texarkana area hospital by Pafford EMS.”
The work was being conducted for the City of Hope as part of a sewer project extension to the Hope Municipal Airport.
“Our people responded really well,” Hope City Manager Catherine Cook said in a report to the Hope City Board of Directors on Tuesday night. “Bobby Arney, particularly, took charge and all of the Bobo and Bain folks and others responded quickly.
“We’re all very glad the gentleman did appear to escape more harm,” Cook said.
She said the City has not had an excavation site accident since the early 1990s.
“It was really very scary,” she said.
