City official: Worker dies, colleague injured during sewer-line repair on Society Avenue

An unidentified city official told residents that a tragic accident on Wednesday killed a city employee and seriously injured a coworker while crews replaced a damaged sanitary sewer line in the Society Avenue alley.

"I come to you today with a heavy heart," the speaker said, naming the deceased as Sebastian Docks Jr., 28, and saying he had worked for the city since October 2023. "The injured coworker is currently in stable condition and recovering from his injuries." The speaker said the city could not release further details at this time.

The official said the city manager and staff have initiated an internal investigation into the incident and pledged to "be open and transparent, and we'll provide full details once the internal investigation is completed." The statement also noted support for employees and families: "We here at the city are a family, and we want to assure everyone that all appropriate measures will be undertaken to ensure that the families are taken care of."

The speaker referenced the size of the municipal workforce in the remarks, saying, "All 947 city employees, our retirees, and the entire community are heartbroken." The statement asked the community to support the victim's family and the injured worker as they grieve and recover.

The city did not provide further operational details about the work being done on the sanitary sewer line or the circumstances that led to the accident. The internal investigation and any subsequent findings or actions were described as pending; the speaker said the city would release additional information when the probe is complete.

The statement closed with an appeal to the community for solidarity and a pledge to prioritize employee safety going forward.