A Ste Madeleine labourer was yesterday buried alive under dirt that collapsed on him when he fell into a hole dug by an excavator.

By the time rescuers got to Dillon Sinanan, he was already dead.

Sinanan, 20, of Hellshire Drive, Tarodale Gardens, Ste Madeleine, lived opposite the scene of his death.

His mother, Marcia Williams, cried yesterday, demanding answers as to exactly what happened to cause her son's death yesterday afternoon.

She said, "I was resting at home when I got a call that my son had fallen into a hole. I went over and asked what had happened and got three different stories.

"One of them told me that he was walking past the hole, when he fell down in it. Another said that he was in the hole taking out dirt from the hole, when an avalanche of mud came down and covered him up.

"Another story I heard was that he was near the hole and the backhoe accidentally pushed him in."

Williams said she wanted the truth. "I want to know what happened to my child. I think something is wrong because nobody can give me a straight story.

"I am not pointing fingers, but so far what I heard is not making sense. The whole thing does not sound right."

The owner of the house, Merle Williams, said a private contractor was hired to construct a underground drain at the front of the house.

The hole is approximately six feet deep and ten feet wide.

Williams said Sinanan joined the contracting team and began working at the site only yesterday.

Police took statements from the contractor and Sinanan's co-workers at the scene.

Police said that at around 1.45 p.m., Sinanan was seen walking near the hole, which had been dug by an excavator.

Workers told police that minutes later, they noticed Sinanan went missing, they went over to the hole and saw it had caved in.

Fire officers from the Mon Repos Fire Station responded and removed Sinanan's body.