‘I just want answers’: Family of Albany city worker speaks out after fatal on-the-job accident

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) -The family of the Albany city employee who died after an on-the-job work accident is now speaking out.

The victim in the accident was identified as Sebastian Dykes Jr.

“28 years...snatched that quick,” said Sebsatian’s dad, Sabastian Dykes, Sr.

On Wednesday, Sebastian and another city employee were working on a collapsed sewer at North Harding near Society Avenue. It’s not yet clear exactly what happened, but Dykes became buried in the sewer trench.

Wednesday night, rescue crews dug with a backhoe for hours, trying to recover Dykes. His body was recovered just before 10 p.m.

We know the second worker is now recovering in the hospital, but the nature of their injuries has not been reported.

Sebastian’s dad said he got the news while he was headed out of town. He walked us through the last moments he had with his son.

This death marks the second city of Albany employee to die on the job this year.

Sebastian’s dad is raising safety concerns after his son’s death.

“(He) he took his last breath up under dirt,” he said. “That could have been two lives gone that quick.”

Sebastian’s dad says he believes his son’s death could have been prevented. He believes proper safety protocols were not in place during the job his son was doing.

“No box, no safety, no nothing was in there,” he said.

The box he’s referring to is a trench box and is used to keep workers safe while digging or excavating. Sebastian’s dad also says his son previously told him he was not properly trained or contracted to do the job.

Three weeks before Sebastian died, his brother who also works for the city was cut by a chainsaw during a job Sebastian’s dad also claims his second son is not qualified to do. He also tells me his second son sat in on a safety meeting with the city of Albany where they talked about using a trench box during the job, but allegedly it was not used.

“Just sad and unfortunate,” he said. “I lost a first one and junior. My (second) son lost his best friend.”

WALB asked the city of Albany several questions including if a trench box was used and If they could send us their pre-existing safety protocols. They responded saying the statement they released Wednesday is all the City has to say at this time.

As the family prepares to make funeral arrangements, Sebastian’s dad tells me he won’t stop fighting to get answers to his son’s death.

“I just want answers. That’s all I want. Until I get them, I have to be everything I can for him because that was my baby,” Sebastian’s dad said.

Sebastian’s body will be sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab on Monday for an autopsy.

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