Worker dies in trench collapse in Troy

TROY, Mo. (AP) -- A construction worker was killed when a trench collapsed on him in eastern Missouri.

Christian Schmid, 32, of Silex, was installing sewer lines at about 3 p.m. Tuesday at a new subdivision in Troywhen a narrow, 15-foot deep trench collapsed on him.

By 6:15 p.m., emergency workers had reached Schmid and determined he was no longer breathing. They continued digging to recover the body.

Brian Lourance, assistant Lincoln County fire chief, said Schmid had been buried in about 15 feet of dirt for about 3 1/2 hours.

Lourance did not know whether the trench had been properly shored up. He declined to identify the contractor. Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating.

Troy is about 50 miles north of St. Louis.