Guilty Verdict In Trench Collapse Case That Killed 2 Workers

The company involved in the collapse and flooding of a trench that killed two workers as well as its owner have been convicted of manslaughter.

The Boston Globe reports that Atlantic Drain Service and owner Kevin Otto were convicted Thursday of two counts of manslaughter in a jury-waived trial.

Workers Kelvin Mattocks and Robert Higgins were working in the trench in Boston's South End in October 2016 when it collapsed and broke a fire hydrant supply line that flooded the 14-foot deep trench with water.

The defense argued the city of Boston had failed to properly maintain a fire hydrant.

Prosecutors say Otto had a history of safety violations and should have installed cave-in protections known as trench boxes at the site.

Sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 4.