Bednar Landscape Services Inc.

Two workers, Oscar Portillo and Selvin Zelaya, were killed while digging a trench around the foundation of a home on Rockaway Valley Road in Boonton Township. The workers were installing a French drain system. One side of the trench was supported by the house foundation but the other side was not properly shored up. The trench was between 9 feet and 13 feet deep. Mud was filling in the trench because of its depth and documents showed that President Keith Bednar had rented a muck pump and discharge house from a supply house, meaning he was aware of the depth of the trench and the unstable conditions. Corporate Secretary Christopher Liberatore was on-site a few hours before the collapse and also knew of the trench conditions. The homeowner called authories and reported two workers were trapped in the trench and rescue workers and police were dispatched to the house. Oscar Portillo was at the bottom of the trench with a muck pump when it collapsed. A site foreman and Selvin Zelaya attempted to dig Portillo out. The trench collapsed again and buried Zelaya. The foreman was able to get out and climb to safety. Bednar Landscape Services paid for the funerals of both workers.