Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) today morning said two males were recovered from the trench last night at approximately 2:30am.
“Both males are deceased. Their families have been notified, and the Ministry of Labour is taking over the investigation. Any further information will need to be provided by them,” a police spokesperson told Durham Post.
Police yesterday closed off part of Rossland Road in Ajax for an investigation into an accident in which at least four workers were involved.
“An accident has occurred at a construction site in the Rossland Road and Westney Road area of Ajax. A DRPS media officer is heading to the scene,” said a tweet from the police.
Reports said one worker was airlifted by Ornge helicopter ambulance to a Toronto hospital, and another was sent to a local hospital.
Two more workers were trapped in a collapsed construction trench.
Fire services as well as Ministry of Labour representatives were on the scene for the rescue and inquiry.
The accident was reported to have occurred around midday. Till late last night there was no announced if the two trapped workers had been rescued.
Will update as and when more information is released.
Statement from Mayor Collier
On behalf of Ajax Council, I’d like to extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the two workers who lost their lives in the tragic workplace accident in Ajax yesterday. Our thoughts are also with the two workers in local hospitals recovering from their injuries and the first responders impacted by this tragedy.
We’ve been heartened by the outpouring of concern and thoughts by the community in the wake of the accident during work on the Town’s Rossland Road Reconstruction Project by a construction company. We’d especially like to thank and recognize all the agencies involved with assisting the Town and ensuring site safety, including Ajax Fire and Emergency Services, Toronto Fire, Durham Region Police Service, Region of Durham Paramedic Services and the Ministry of Labour.
An investigation is underway by the Ministry of Labour to determine the cause of the accident.