Coulterville mother is killed in irrigation tunnel collapse

Twyla Capurro of Coulterville was killed last week in a partial tunnel collapse outside Knights Ferry in Calaveras County.

Capurro, 35, was a mother of two young boys, Bodi and Levi, and was engaged to Kyle Lovelady.

Her father, Chuck Capurro of Nevada City, told the Mariposa Gazette his daughter was a beautiful person who radiated light.

“I want to thank the community for keeping her light shining and reaching out with love and compassion,” he said.

“That is what’s keeping me going.”

A GoFundMe set up to support the family raised $99,640 in less than a week from 484 donations.

“The boys and I are surrounded by loved ones and the love from our community is so very real,” wrote Lovelady, her fiancee.

Capurro was working on the Canyon Tunnel Project on April 14 at 3:42 p.m. when a “rock fall” occurred inside the tunnel.

Another worker managed to escape with minor injuries.

But Capurro was trapped inside the tunnel.

More than 30 firefighters responded to what became a technical rescue operation.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office used a drone within the tunnel that provided “critical situational awareness” in supporting rescue operations.

“Despite extensive rescue efforts, the individual was confirmed deceased,” according to the Modesto Fire Department.

Her body was recovered six hours later at 10:04 p.m.

CAL/OSHA’s Mining and Tunneling Unit is investigating the accident.

The Canyon Tunnel Project is a water diversion project that will connect the Goodwin Dam on the Stanislaus River to a joint supply tunnel that serves Manteca, Lathrop and Tracy.

The project is intended to bypass a downstream canal with an unstable rock slope.

It is a joint project between the South San Joaquin Irrigation District and the Oakdale Irrigation District that began tunneling earlier last year and is expected to be completed in late 2027.

Capurro was a geologist working for Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group, an engineering and design firm based in Clovis.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to her family, friends, and all that had the opportunity to meet Twyla. This is an incredibly difficult time for our entire organization,” the company said in a statement.

Capurro moved to Coulterville about three years ago.

Her father said she previously lived in Paradise, but was forced to move after the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and displaced 50,000 residents.

The Camp Fire is considered the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history.

Daniel James, a family friend, wrote that Capurro was “known for her contagious smile, her warm and friendly personality, and her adventurous spirit for anything involving nature and life. Her ability to light up a room and her love for the outdoors inspired everyone around her.”

“Living in Coulterville, CA, Twyla built a life filled with love and care for her family and friends, and her sudden loss has left a profound void in the hearts of those closest to her,” James wrote.