Man, 23, and man, 38, are named after trench collapse kills two workers in County Down

From the Newshound archive · first published 4 October 2026.

A collapsed trench on the Ballygowan Road in Crossnacreevy, Co Down, where three ambulances, two Hazardous Area Response Teams and specialist fire rescue crews attended but were unable to save either of the two trapped…

Two workers died on Friday morning when a trench reportedly gave way during earthworks on the Ballygowan Road in Crossnacreevy, County Down. Joseph Hobbs, 23, from Comber, and Mark Glover, 38, from Ballygowan, could not be saved despite the efforts of multiple emergency crews and were declared dead at the scene. The Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland has opened an investigation alongside police.

Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood said the men were 'workers out doing an honest day's graft who won't be coming home.'

Three emergency ambulances and two Hazardous Area Response Teams responded, but nobody was brought out of the scene alive.

Ulster Unionist councillor Dr Kathryn Owen asked the public to refrain from speculation and commended emergency services for their 'great professionalism' in an 'incredibly difficult situation.'

BBC News - UKPolice name two men who died in workplace incident near rural road Extra.ie on MSNLocals pay tribute as two men killed in trench collapse in Co Down are named Evening StandardTwo dead following workplace incident in Co Down The SunHeartache as two men who died after trench collapsed at Co Down site are named locally as police issue update Irish IndependentVictim of reported trench collapse in Co Down is named as locals mourn ‘heartbreaking tragedy’

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