Stemilt cited for man being buried

OTHELLO - A Wenatchee-based company is facing $353,000 in fines for safety violations that led to a worker being buried alive Sept. 21, 2023, when trench walls collapsed and buried him.

Jose Antonio Vera Alvarez was injured in a trench cave in while working for Stemilt Ag Servicees, 2642 W. Yeisley Road. He and nine others were digging a 25-30-foot long, 5-foot-plus deep trench at the time of the incident.

The state Department of Labor and Industries found that Stemilt failed to provide cave-in protection such as sloping, shielding or shoring, records show.

The agency found that 10 workers wer...