Representatives with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were in suburban Westmont Friday, investigating the death of a public works employee who died while fixing a water main break.
The employee was identified by village officials as Matthew Heiden, a 2020 graduate of Westmont High School.
Heiden's life was cut short Thursday morning near 60th Street and Deming Place.
"He is the son of a friend of mine, and he was just a really great kid, very helpful, very sweet and everybody loved him," said resident Stephanie Benjamin.
The public works employee was trapped underground in a vault that filled with water because of the water main break, officials said.
Witnesses and neighbors nearby like Frank Souck and his wife Gail said they felt helpless.
"I was home and I saw the water starting coming up and then fireman came and they were standing around the hole and the longer it went on," said Frank, "I started feeling worse and worse because I knew somebody is down there."
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After about an hour submerged in water, Heiden was pulled out - unresponsive.
"It was heartbreaking and very sad to watch this unfold all day. I don't think I have ever seen so many police and firemen and ambulances," said Gail.
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Heiden was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
In the meantime, neighbors in the area of the water main break are under a boil water advisory for the next two days.
However, that isn't what matters to them, they said.
"I don’t even think about it," said Gail.
"Don’t worry about it," added Frank. "You feel bad for somebody to go to work and don’t come home."
Investigators are working to figure out how Heiden became trapped and what specifically led to his death.
