Four construction workers were killed when a drainage trench in which they were working collapsed Friday morning near Verdel in northeast Nebraska.

The men were digging the trench on state Highway 12 around 9 a.m. when it collapsed on top of them.

The victims have been identified as 24-year-old Travis Lunn and 35-year-old David Peterson, both of O'Neill, 61-year-old Gary Forsch of Spencer and 43-year-old Brad Kelly of Lynch.