Atlantic Drain employees Higgins and Mattocks were killed Oct. 21, 2016, after the trench in which they were working caved in. The two were buried up to the waist in dirt and were drowned within seconds after a fire hydrant supply line broke and filled the trench with water. Otto’s defense team, according to WBZ, unsuccessfully tried to blame the city for not maintaining the hydrant correctly.
The trench collapse resulted in a massive OSHA fine of nearly $1.5 million and 18 safety violation citations.
