Charges Weighed in Fatal Cave-In
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Los Angeles authorities are considering criminal charges against a Northridge plumbing contractor who witnesses said failed to reinforce a 10-foot-deep trench before it collapsed Monday, killing one worker and injuring two others.
Witnesses have told investigators that the walls of the trench in Pacoima had not been supported, as required by state codes for trenches deeper than five feet.
If Los Angeles County prosecutors conclude that the contractor was responsible, they could file involuntary manslaughter charges against him, said Jan Chatten-Brown, special assistant to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner.
The cave-in occurred along a 15-foot section of trench dug to replace a sewer line. The accident killed Jose Alonzo, 63.
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