Construction Worker and ‘Loving’ Father of 3 Dies After Being Buried Under Dirt at a Building Site

A construction worker in Goodyear, Arizona, has died after being trapped in an open trench collapse.

Emergency crews responded to the site — located near Citrus and Lower Buckeye Roads, roughly 20 miles west of Phoenix — around 1 p.m. on Monday, July 28, according to reports from the Arizona Republic, AZFamily and ABC 15.

Ruben Real, a spokesperson for the Goodyear Fire Department, told ABC 15 that first responders — including police, fire crews, and Southwest Gas workers — found 44-year-old Ronald Andrew Baquera Jr. stuck about six feet underground. Baquera, a father of three, had been buried beneath the collapsed dirt.

Firefighters worked to rescue him, but shifting soil made the effort nearly impossible. “The problem was, as they pulled dirt out, more dirt was collapsing in, which really made this rescue almost impossible,” Goodyear Police Deputy Chief Jose Gonzalez told AZFamily. “Our hearts go out to the family of the individual who’s trapped, as well as to the partners who are here working with this individual.”

“No one goes to work expecting not to come home that night,” Gonzalez added.

Crews had to slow their progress due to nearby gas lines, and the mission ultimately shifted from rescue to recovery. Rubicon Companies, which was not Baquera’s employer, assisted in the efforts.

After hours of digging, Baquera’s body was recovered around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29.

Friends and family shared memories of Baquera, describing him as a devoted father and caring friend. Speaking to ABC 15, Melissa Prado — the mother of two of his children — said Baquera’s life revolved around his kids. “My daughter is really torn up. She spends almost every day with him. She’s a little distraught, and my son’s angry,” she said. “They’re not really coping too well.”

Nate Costly, a longtime friend of Baquera’s who organized a candlelight vigil on Friday, Aug. 1, called him “Ronnie” and remembered him as a “loving father and a loyal friend” who was “brutally honest, endlessly caring and unforgettable.” The vigil drew more than 80 people from the local community.

Renisha Williams, a close family friend, said Baquera was like a brother and always willing to help others. “He was always ready to lend a helping hand,” she told the Republic.

Arizona’s worker-safety agency, the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH), confirmed to ABC 15 and the Republic that it has launched an investigation into potential safety violations at the site. The agency has not disclosed which company employed Baquera and said the final report could take four to five months. After the investigation, ADOSH may recommend citations or penalties to the state board.

Prado said she and her children are still left wondering how the accident occurred. “I’m sure it will come out,” she said. “But I don’t care to know right now.”