2 workers dead in flooded trench in South End

BOSTON — Two construction workers died after becoming trapped in a trench, when water from a nearby hydrant started rushing in on top of them, Boston Fire officials said.

Fire officials worked to drain the water from the trench before going into it and recovered the first body around 6:30 p.m., nearly five hours after it was flooded. The second person was recovered around 8:15 p.m.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the families of these two people," Mayor Marty Walsh said on scene Friday afternoon.

A nearby hydrant started flooding the area with water, while the Atlantic Drain workers were down deep in the trench at 10 Dartmouth St.

"Suddenly the water just erupted from the manhole cover and started flooding the entire street," said Julie Bellino, a witness.

Bellino watched as the water reached the surface of the trench, and started flooding the street—the construction workers above started backing away.

Rescue crews scrambled to the scene as water flooded Dartmouth Street in Boston's South End and a search was launched to find any workers in the trench.

Officials were not able to say how many workers were in the trench when the water came in and couldn't say how many if any were rescued.

"As I was walking around I caught the faces of some of the workers and then men were absolutely inconsolable and weeping and crying and it was just the most somber awful atmosphere to walk through," Bellino told FOX25.

Water has been shut off to the area. Wash added the street would likely be shut down for "days" to investigate the incident.

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