(MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH PERTH, ON) On Tuesday October 19, 2010 shortly after 3:30 p.m. Perth County OPP officers, ambulance personnel and the North Perth Fire Department responded to a rural residence on Road 167 North West of Listowel where a homeowner had been covered by earth as a trench had caved-in.
Upon arrival by emergency workers, neighbours who had been called by the man’s family were trying to dig him out. Firefighters took over and the man was removed from the trench. Attempts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful and at 4:10 p.m. he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation revealed that a trench had been dug using a backhoe so a waterline could be installed running from the house to a shed. The sandy earth around the foundation caved in as the man was using a shovel to dig inside the trench directly beside the house.
The deceased male is identified as Johannes Zuidema (51) of the Municipality of North Perth.