A tragic accident occurred in Kansas City, Kansas, when a trench collapsed during the installation of a fiber optic project, resulting in the death of one worker. Authorities have since identified the victim and revealed new details about the companies involved.
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department confirmed on Friday that 54-year-old Francisco Rodriguez, a resident of KCK, lost his life in the incident.
According to officials, the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department reported that the collapse happened around 2:15 p.m. near the intersection of 16th Street and Metropolitan Avenue, close to the railroad tracks. Firefighters responded to reports of an excavator operator working on the fiber optic project but found that the machinery was no longer in use upon arrival.
At the scene, workers discovered the trench had collapsed, with a hand shovel lying nearby. Rodriguez was not located until approximately 11:45 p.m., when first responders found him and pronounced him deceased at the scene.
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department has taken over the investigation from the fire department. Officials have announced that a death investigation is underway, with the cause of the trench collapse being examined by multiple agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
An investigation by KCTV5 revealed two tickets filed with Kansas 811 related to this project. K&W Underground Inc., a contractor specializing in telecommunications construction—including fiber line installation, design, and maintenance—confirmed that its employees were working on the project on Thursday.
On July 18, K&W submitted two tickets to Kansas 811 indicating that its crew was relocating fiber for Lumen, a company providing internet and other communications services. The tickets also indicate that work began on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, with an expected duration of about 20 weeks in the area.
In Kansas, companies planning to dig must notify 811 in advance so that other utility providers can mark underground lines before excavation starts. The agencies that responded to the notifications for this project include:
- AT&T Distribution
- Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (Electric and Water Departments)
- Kansas Gas Service
- Level 3 (now Lumen)
- Unified Government
This tragic event highlights the dangers faced by workers in the telecommunications and construction industries, and the ongoing investigation aims to determine the exact causes of the collapse to prevent future incidents.
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