Rome Georgia Mourns Tragic Loss of Water Department Employee in Worksite Accident

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The city of Rome is mourning the death of James Rayburn, a 55-year-old employee of the water department, who was killed in a trench collapse while working on a sewer service project on Coosawattee Avenue on Thursday night. Rayburn, a 23-year veteran of the department, was found unresponsive under dirt and concrete and later pronounced dead at the hospital, while his colleague, Michael Walters, sustained a non-life-threatening leg injury. The city has requested a third-party investigation into the incident and is urging the community to respect the privacy of Rayburn's family and coworkers during this difficult time.