By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays city commissioners ended their Thursday night work session with somber thoughts and prayers for the families and friends of the two Hays men killed Tuesday afternoon while working in a sewer trench on Main Street. A third man was injured and taken to Hays Medical Center.

All three men were employees of J Corp Construction Company in Hays.

Owner/operator Aaron “A.P.” Pfannenstiel, 44, and construction supervisor James “Jake” Jacobs, 66, both died. The other employee was rescued soon after the 911 call at 1:36 p.m. and was taken to Hays Medical Center.

Mayor Eber Phelps also noted that Jacobs was the brother of Hays City Clerk Brenda Kitchen.

Phelps, City Manager Toby Dougherty and Commissioner Shaun Musil were at the scene in front of the Ellis County Administrative Center, along with Utilities Director Johnny O’Conner, Public Works Director Greg Sund, Assistant Public Works Director John Braun and Finance Director Kim Rupp, the city’s Public Information Officer.

“It’s also a big loss for the community,” said Commissioner Henry Schwaller. “We’ve not had an accident like this in a hundred years–when we lost two firefighters–again, a century ago. So this is very serious for all of us and it’s uncommon.”

Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil also expressed his thanks to “all the firefighters and everyone else who was down there helping out and doing everything they could.”

Funerals for both Pfannenstiel and Jacobs will held Saturday in Hays.

A community candlelight vigil organized by the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance will be held Sunday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Administrative Center, 718 Main.