weekly tollFedEx truck driver killed after crashing over highway in Texas

A fiery crash killed the driver of a FedEx delivery truck in Dallas early Saturday.The victim is 30-year-old Quantico Smith. Dallas police say the fatal accident began when two cars crashed on I-45 near Overton. The FedEx truck hit the one car that stayed on the road and the cab of the truck fell off the bridge, bursting into flames.

Hauppauge worker killed in industrial accident

Hauppauge, NY — A pharmaceutical worker died after an industrial accident Friday in Hauppauge, police said. Sergio Escobar, 59, of Brentwood, was cutting a metal drum with a grinder at about 11:45 a.m. at Bactolac Pharmaceutical “when the drum exploded and struck Escobar,” Suffolk County police said in a statement. Escobar was taken by ambulance to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore where he was pronounced dead, police said. Police are investigating the accident at the Old Willets Path business and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified, police said.

2 firefighters killed, 2 injured in building collapse

YORK, Pa. (AP) – Two Pennsylvania firefighters have been killed and two others injured in the partial collapse of a former piano factory, which had been heavily damaged in a fire. York officials say 50-year-old Ivan Flanscha and 29-year-old Zachary Anthony died Thursday at a hospital. Two other firefighters are being treated for injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. Part of the four-story building fell on firefighters as they were looking for hot spots and investigating the cause of a fire that broke out Wednesday at the Weaver Organ and Piano factory. The factory was being converted into residential units.

Henderson gas station employee shoots 3 of his coworkers, killing 1

LAS VEGAS, NV – A shooting at a gas station in Henderson left one person dead and two others injured Friday. Henderson police officers responded to reports of shots fired at 9:50 a.m. at the Terrible Herbst convenience store and gas station on Sunset Road at Annie Oakley Drive. Henderson Police Officer Rodrigo Peña said three people were shot. Two of the victims were transported to Sunrise Hospital in critical condition, according to police. The third victim was transported to Henderson Hospital with gunshot wounds. One of the victims later died at the hospital, police said. Family members told FOX5 the victim’s name was Zachary Ragusa. His family said he was 18 years old who worked at Terrible Herbst as a smog check technician. They said he loved playing hockey, listening to heavy metal and watching the New York Jets. He was an honor student, a Christian and had no enemies, they said. The suspect, 22-year-old Rafael Valdez was an employee at Terrible Herbst. After the shooting, the victims, who are also employees, said Valdez ran away. He was found and arrested on the 2800 block of North Green Valley Parkway.

Randolph man dies in accident with train

SPARTA, Wis. (WKBT) – A railroad employee died from his injuries Tuesday morning in an accident with a train at Cedar Creek Lumber. According to Sparta police, train conductor Robert Hemling, 39 of Randolph, was found unresponsive and taken to Mayo Clinic – Sparta Campus, where he was pronounced dead. The incident is under investigation.Man dies at N. Mississippi construction site

Elizabethtown billboard worker falls to his death

ELIZABETHTOWN, KY (WAVE) – A worker fell to his death while working on a billboard in Elizabethtown on Friday. Police responded to the 5000 block of North Dixie Avenue just after 1:30 p.m. on reports that a billboard worker had fallen while updating the sign. Officers arrived to find a man dead at the scene from an estimated 40 foot fall.  Another worker on the site said they were replacing the canvas on the billboard when his co-worker suddenly fell.

Retired FDNY firefighter dies of cancer caused by delivering supplies to WTC after 9/11

New York, NY — A retired FDNY firefighter who helped ferry supplies back and forth to the World Trade Center site for months after the 9/11 attacks died Thursday from a cancer caused by Ground Zero toxins, family said. He was 64. George Froehlich battled prostate cancer for quite some time before his death, his wife told the Daily News Saturday. He is the ninth FDNY member to pass away from a 9/11-related illness this year, according to union officials.

Texas DPS identifies family members, truck driver killed in I-30 crash Friday

EAST TEXAS (KLTV) – Sgt. Sylvia Jennings with the Texas Department of Public Safety has released the identities of those killed in a wreck on the interstate near Mount Pleasant on Friday. The driver of a 2018 International semi-truck and one of five vehicles involved in yesterday’s crash on IH-30 at mile marker 162 in Mount Pleasant, has been identified as Wanda Gebhart, Jennings said. Gebhart, 64, was from Pikeville, Tennessee. She was pronounced dead at the scene, Jennings said.

Man dies at N. Mississippi construction site

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A construction worked died Friday when a front loader fell on him at a site on N. Mississippi Avenue.  The incident is at N. Mississippi Avenue and N. Failing Street right next to Townsend’s teahouse and Sunlan Lighting.

Worker crushed to death while trying to move marble slabs in Long Island City warehouse

Queens, NY — A worker at a wholesale marble warehouse was crushed to death while attempting to move two stone slabs Friday afternoon. The unidentified 50-year-old Queens man was an employee for the Long Island City-based Leadstone USA, located on 50th Ave., across the street from a UPS warehouse in the shadow of the Long Island Expressway, authorities said. The worker attempted to move the marble slabs with a mechanical hoist about 5 p.m, when he may have slipped and became trapped under the heavy rock. The man, authorities said, suffered severe trauma to the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. A 50-year-old UPS employee, who only gave his first name Vic, said that he has observed the contraption that he called “a boom,” which the company uses to move its stone slabs. He said he’s seen the marble lifted to a beam on the ceiling that moves along a track the width of the warehouse.

TRUCK DRIVER KILLED IN CONKLIN WORKPLACE ACCIDENT, DEPUTIES SAY

Conklin, NY — A truck driver was killed in a workplace accident in Conklin Friday. It happened at the Maines Food and Paper Distribution Center shortly before 2 a.m. The Broome County Sheriff’s Office says the driver of a parked tractor-trailer was run over when a tandem tractor-trailer rig pulled away from the loading dock. They say the driver was in between the two trucks at the time, but it isn’t clear why he was there. The truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene, but has not yet been identified.

Construction Worker Dies in Fall

Kent, WA — Shawn Moore, working for Jim Edwards Construction Company, fell from a steep pitch two story residence without fall protection while doing installation of metal roofing system. Moore fell from 17’11” and suffered death “multiple blunt force injuries” (Washington Department of Labor and Industries)

State police identify trooper killed in crash on I-84 east in Tolland

TOLLAND, CT  – Connecticut State Police said Trooper First Class Kevin Miller from Troop C died Thursday following a car accident on I-84 east in Tolland. State police said a tractor-trailer was traveling eastbound on I-84 in the right lane of three at slower speed than the flow of traffic. State police said Miller was traveling eastbound on I-84 in the right lane of the three, when he collided into the rear end of the tractor-trailer. Miller sustained fatal injuries from the accident. The driver of the tractor-trailer suffered no injuries, according to state police.

Investigation underway after worker crushed at Port of Houston

HOUSTON, TX – Authorities said they are investigating the death of a worker who was crushed Tuesday at the Port of Houston. The incident was reported at 8:17 a.m. on a ship in the Houston Ship Channel. Officials said it appears that the person was working in the hold of a ship called Grebe Bulker when something fell on the worker. The identity of the worker was not immediately released.

Suspect in Hopkinsville officer’s slaying killed in Tennessee

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. —A man suspected of fatally shooting an off-duty police officer in a small Kentucky city has been killed by law enforcement officials in Tennessee. Kentucky State Police Trooper Rob Austin says in a statement Friday that 34-year-old James K. Decoursey of Hopkinsville “had a brief encounter with law enforcement” officials in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he “was shot and died from his injuries.” Police said Decoursey was impersonating a police officer when he pulled 38-year-old Hopkinsville officer Phillip Meacham over Thursday afternoon. Decoursey then shot and killed Meacham, who was off-duty, before running from the scene and taking off in a pickup truck.

Man dies in “freak” industrial accident

Thomasville, AL (WKRG) – Authorities are investigating following a death at the Louisiana Pacific mill in Thomasville Saturday.  The Clarke County sheriff confirms one person died in an industrial accident. Clarke County medical examiner, Mitch Finney tells News 5 21-year-old James Dylan Sealey of Butler, Alabama was killed Saturday evening in a “freak accident”. Finney says Sealey was working on a crane when he either fell or was pulled between two pieces of equipment. Sealey was pronounced dead at the scene dying from blunt force trauma to the chest area. Sealey was a maintenance worker for Louisiana Pacific and was working on a crane at the time of the accident. Finney says it took an extended period of time to remove Sealey’s body because it was located about 95 feet in the air. Thomasville Fire Rescue assisted in the removal of Sealey’s body.

Truck driver dies in Route 80 crash near Pennsylvania border

Hardwick, New Jersey — A truck driver died in a crash late Wednesday night on Route 80 in Hardwick, New Jersey State Police say. The accident occurred on the eastbound side of the highway, about half a mile from the Pennsylvania border. The male driver, 45, was negotiating a curve when his Volvo tractor-trailer overturned, ending up on the right side of the roadway.

Kentucky police officer killed in the line of duty; no suspect named

A suspect has not been named after a Pikeville, Ky., police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty Tuesday night. Officer Scotty Hamilton was a 12-year veteran and joined the Pikeville Police Department in 2006. Kentucky State Police Post 13 Public Information Officer Jody Sims said Hamilton was shot while he and Trooper Matt Martine were investigating an area known to have high criminal drug activity.

FDNY firefighter from Floral Park dies in Harlem movie set fire

New York, NY — A New York City Fire Department veteran from Floral Park died fighting a five-alarm fire in Harlem on Thursday night. Fire Department of New York firefighter Michael Davidson, 37, of Floral Park, died Thursday in a fire in Harlem.  The fire broke out around 11 p.m. Thursday, officials said, in a basement at 773 St. Nicholas Avenue near 148th Street in Harlem on the set of “Motherless Brooklyn,” an adaptation of a novel by Jonathan Lethem directed by Edward Norton and starring Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Leslie Mann, Bruce Willis and Norton.

Police say Sioux City worker dies after being crushed

Sioux City, SD — Police say 42-year-old Brian McCormick has died in a northwestern Iowa transportation hub accident. The Sioux City Journal reports that the incident happened shortly before noon Wednesday at the Big Soo Terminal in Sioux City. Police Lieutenant Mark Kirkpatrick says a worker was crushed as he attempted to move train cars and that the death is being treated as an accident. Kirkpatrick says officers were still investigating the incident Wednesday afternoon.

Official says scrap iron fell on Wheatfield man who died Thursday in industrial accident in far west Gary

Gary, IN — A Wheatfield man died in an industrial accident Thursday morning in far west Gary, police confirmed.  Joshua Klein, 40, was pronounced dead at 10:08 a.m. at a business in the 7100 block of Industrial Highway, according to the Lake County coroner’s office. Klein was cutting iron truss scrap material, which appeared to fall on him as he was working, a Gary fire official said Thursday, citing a preliminary report.

North Carolina Sheriff’s Deputy Killed in Crash During Chase

TARBORO, N.C. (AP) — A sheriff’s deputy has died in a crash during a chase in eastern North Carolina. News outlets reported an Edgecombe County sheriff’s deputy was killed in the wreck about 6:15 p.m. Sunday about 3 miles (5 kilometers) south of Tarboro. Investigators say the deputy was pursuing a vehicle south on N.C. 111 and when he lost control on a curve and hit an oncoming pickup truck. The North Carolina Highway Patrol said 24-year-old Deputy David Manning was killed. Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson said he was sad for the loss of the deputy. Troopers said the two people in the pickup truck suffered minor injuries.

Tow truck driver responding to accident struck and killed

State police in Massachusetts have identified the tow truck driver who was struck and killed while responding to a late-night highway crash. Police say 41-year-old Daniel Coady was standing outside his truck in the breakdown lane of Interstate 495 in Andover at about 11 p.m. Wednesday. He was loading one of the vehicles involved in the original two-car crash onto his flatbed when a car driving past struck a disabled vehicle, pushing it into him.Coady, who lived in North Andover, was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Worker Dies in Massachusetts Furnace Equipment Supplier Explosion

Ayer, MA — An explosion at a Massachusetts manufacturing facility has killed one worker and injured another. Officials say the man was an employee at Advanced Vacuum Systems in Ayer, about 40 miles northwest of Boston.  The Middlesex District Attorney’s office says its investigation suggests the explosion was the result of a pressure vessel malfunction. The workers have not been identified.

Contractor dies at BMW Manufacturing Plant

GREER, SC (WSPA) – Authorities are investigating what appears to be an accidental death at BMW Manufacturing. BMW officials said in a statement the death happened in one of the plant’s paint shops. Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said the victim is a private contractor who was working on equipment. The victim has been identified as Bojan Sprah, 45, of Boiling Springs. Clevenger said the preliminary cause of death is listed as open head trauma, secondary to blunt force trauma and entrapment in moving machinery.  Pelham Batesville Fire Chief Charles Jolley said the call was received around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Jolley said it was “obvious” the person was deceased. He had to be extracted from machinery by the coroner’s office.

Worker found dead in cargo hold of ship at Port of Houston

MTA bus driver strikes, kills colleague at Queens depot

Queens, NY — An MTA worker was fatally struck by a bus driver at a Queens depot Tuesday morning, marking the second on-duty death at the transit authority this month. The driver was reversing a bus at the MTA Bus College Point Depot when he ran over his colleague, a 59-year-old man who was directing traffic around 10 a.m., according to the MTA. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by police.

Memorial Service Held for Rookie Police Officer Killed in Pomona

Pomona, CA — A memorial service was held Thursday for the rookie police officer killed during a call in Pomona earlier this month. Pomona Police Officer Greggory Casillas‘ cap and a U.S. flag rest on a pedestal during Casillas’ funeral services at Purpose Church in Pomona on Thursday. (Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Greggory Casillas was killed during a lengthy standoff in the 1400 block of South Palomares Street when he was shot through a door on March 9. The suspect in the shooting, 38-year-old Isaias De Jesus Valencia, has been charged with murder in Casillas’ death, as well as the attempted murder of several other officers. Casillas, a 30-year-old husband and father of two, was sworn in as a Pomona police officer in September and was just about to complete his field training the night he was gunned down.

Man dies after explosion at northern Utah Autoliv factory

Salt Lake City, UT — A man died early Monday after an explosion at an Autoliv Facilities factory in Box Elder County. Police received a call that the Promontory factory, which produces airbags for vehicles, was on fire about 2:12 a.m., according to a news release from the Box Elder County sheriff’s office. Ronald Larson, 64, of Cache Valley, was trapped inside the facility, and personnel at the site were trying to extricate him, the release said. Larson had reportedly been alone in the mixing portion of the building when the explosion occurred.

Two cops, one firefighter who joined Ground Zero first responders die

New York, NY — Two retired NYPD cops and an upstate fire battalion chief, who were among the many first responders to rush to Ground Zero after 9/11, have died. NYPD Lt. William Wanser, Detective Pedro Esponda and Watertown Fire Battalion Chief David Lachenauer — all retired — succumbed to cancer over the weekend, according to family and friends. Wanser, who joined the NYPD in 1984, died Sunday after a yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 60.  Lachenauer died Friday after battling cancer for a year. He was 61. As a firefighter, Lachenauer worked for three days to clear the rubble left by the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. Esponda, who joined the NYPD in 1982, died Sunday. He was 60.

Coroner’s office IDs man killed by forklift in southwest Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV — The Clark County coroner’s office has identified a man killed Monday morning at a southwest Las Vegas Valley construction site. Stephen Lee Goodall, 53, died about 9:50 a.m. at a construction site at 9750 W. Sunset Road, near South Grand Canyon Drive. Las Vegas police said Goodall was crushed by the arm of a forklift. The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Division is investigating his death. The agency said that there have been 11 workplace deaths in Nevada this year, including that of a man killed last month in the east valley when a mobile home fell on him. His death remains under investigation.

1 dead, 3 injured in explosion inside furnace company in Ayer

AYER, Mass.  — One person is dead and three people were injured in an explosion at a furnace company in Ayer around 5:22 p.m. on Friday. The explosion happened at the AVS Furnace Company on Fitchburg Road. The explosion was so powerful it tore a hole in the roof. People in the area said homes and businesses shook when the explosion happened. One employee was seriously injured and airlifted to a hospital in Worcester. He was later pronounced dead. Another employee suffered minor injuries. Two firefighters were injured, one with chest pains and another picked up a charged wire, but both are expected to be OK.  The cause of the explosion is said to have been related to an apparent pressure vessel malfunction.

Car wash employee killed in chain-reaction accident

MANASSAS, Va. — An employee of a car wash in northern Virginia has been killed after another employee set off a chain-reaction accident. Prince William County police said a 19-year-old male employee of the Soap and Suds Carwash was attempting to move a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Saturday from the back entrance after the vehicle had been washed. As the vehicle moved forward, it collided with a 2011 Dodge Ram, which then hit a 2011 Scion SD. The vehicle then struck a female employee. The woman died at a hospital.  Police identified her as 38-year-old Paula Margarita Rogel, of Manassas. The cause of the collision is being investigated.

Man is 2nd death at Georgia industrial facility in 7 months

CHATSWORTH, Ga. — A Georgia man is the second person to die from injuries at a flooring manufacturer’s facility in the last seven months. Chatsworth Police Chief Josh Etheridge tells The Daily Citizen that 59-year-old Roy Glenn Bass was struck by a large roller at the Mohawk Industries facility on Tuesday morning and subsequently died at a hospital. The company said in a statement that the cause of the accident is currently unknown. Bass joined Mohawk in 2012, working as an electrician in Dalton before transferring to the Chatsworth location in 2015. His death follows that of 42-year-old Vickie Dyer, who died after an industrial accident at the same location.

Worker killed at DFW Airport after being struck by Skylink train

Dallas, TX — A 54-year-old maintenance worker was killed at DFW International Airport early Wednesday morning after he was struck by a Skylink train car, an airport spokesman said. Kenneth Wade of Hutchins was transported to Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine after he was struck by the train car shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday. Wade was an employee of Bombardier, which built and maintains the Skylink system that connects the airport’s five terminals.

Victim, crushed to death at Ogle County landfill, has been identified

DAVIS JUNCTION, IL — The Ogle County Coroner confirms that a man was killed during an accident at the Orchard Hills Landfill in Davis Junction Wednesday morning. The Ogle County Sheriff’s Office says while several trucks were unloading items at the landfill, one of the trucks rolled, crushing the victim, a man in his 40s, who was assisting unloading one of the trucks. He has been identified as 48-year-old John Overstreet, of Davis Junction. Overstreet was at the rear of his trailer, removing his tarp, between his trailer and another semi-tractor that was parked behind him. The driver of the second trailer, Dariusz Achramowicz, a 55-year-old man from Elmwood Park, IL, had stopped and exited his vehicle to take the tarp off his trailer when the vehicle began rolling forward. Overstreet was pinned between the semi and the trailer. New Milford EMS arrived on the scene shortly before 7 a.m. and tried to revive Overstreet, but were not successful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Texas volunteer firefighter dies after injuries from March 10 grassfire

Ellinger, TX — A Texas firefighter injured two weeks ago while working a brushfire has died, officials confirmed. Firefighter Larry Marusik, a member of Ellinger Volunteer Fire Department, died Friday at Brooke Army Medical Center, according to the Caldwell County Office of Emergency Management. He was 68 years old.

Fuyao vows to work closely with investigators after worker crushed to death

Dayton, OH — Workforce safety investigators are looking into the accidental death of a worker at Moraine’s largest employer, a business fined last year by OSHA for multiple alleged “serious safety violations.” The Tuesday early-morning death of Fuyao Glass America Inc. forklift operator Ricky Patterson of Dayton has renewed attention on safety at the Chinese automobile glass manufacturer. Patterson died from blunt force trauma to the head and neck in what has been ruled an accident, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. Moraine police and fire crews responded the Fuyao plant on West Stroop Road about 5:20 a.m. on a report of an accident involving a forklift driver, a statement from police said. Patterson died after being crushed between a forklift and more than a ton of glass, Moraine police records show. The Dayton man was found early Tuesday morning “wedged in between” the industrial machine and a pallet of glass, which had a tag indicating it weighed 2,097 pounds, the report states.

Worker Dies at Plywood Mill in Southern Oregon

DILLARD, Ore. (AP) — Roseburg Forest Products says one of its employees died in an accident at its plywood plant in Dillard, Oregon. The Springfield-based company has yet to release details about what happened, and says the incident is under investigation. The employee was identified as 57-year-old Joel Kuhse, who had worked for the company since 2010. Martin Merica told The News-Review that his father-in-law worked at the press next to Kuhse, and called for help Monday after finding Kuhse motionless on top of his load.

ODOT worker killed on I-680

YOUNGSTOWN, OH — A worker for the Ohio Department of Transportation was killed Thursday in a crash on Interstate 680. The accident, which happened just after 12:30 p.m., involved one sport utility vehicle and one worker, according to Youngstown police Lt. Brian Welsh. It happened at the Market Street overpass in the southbound lane, Welsh said. The driver of the SUV, who was taken to a hospital with injuries, drifted into a work zone on the right side of the road, hitting the worker, according to Tribune Chronicle news partner WKBN-27. From 2011 to 2015, 609 workers died from injuries at road work zones in the United States, including 19 in Ohio, according to information from the United States Department of Labor Statistics. About 46 percent of these workers were killed in pedestrian-vehicular incidents, which include being struck by a vehicle or mobile equipment, according to the BLS.

Mail carrier killed when struck by own mail truck in Washtenaw County

LYNDON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A postal worker was killed Wednesday afternoon when her own mail truck struck her in Lyndon Township. Michigan State Police troopers responded to a report of a fatal collision involving Tracy Sylo, a U.S. Postal Service carrier. Investigators said Sylo had parked her truck at the top of a driveway on Lake Road and got out. The vehicle somehow started to roll down the driveway and struck Sylo, pinning her between the truck and a metal guardrail, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Former NY firefighter, JWU grad dies of 9/11-related illness

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – A retired New York firefighter and renowned chef has died from an illness related to the September 11 terror attacks, his family confirms. Keith Young, 53, was an 18-year veteran of the FDNY and worked on the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence who later became known as the “Firehouse Chef,” Young went on to publish his own cookbook and was a two-time champion on the Food Network show “Chopped” and also found success on “Throwdown with Bobby Flay.” Young leaves behind three children. He lost his wife to breast cancer in 2012.

Weekly Toll Workplace Death Body found at chemical plant that exploded southwest of Fort Worth

Dallas, TX — Rescuers found human remains Wednesday at a Hood County chemical plant that exploded last week, officials said.The victim was believed to be Dylan Mitchell, 27, a worker at the Tri-Chem Industries plant who has been missing since the explosion. Rescuers had to halt the search for Mitchell while they waited for the fire to burn out on Friday.Amid the slow work of clearing debris, crews continued to search for Mitchell through the weekend and found the remains about 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office is examining the remains to identify them.  Mitchell was originally identified as missing when the fire broke out March 15. The other 11 workers in the chemical plant when it exploded have been accounted for. Two other plant employees were injured in the explosion.

Construction worker dies after fall at State College apartment complex

STATE COLLEGE, PA – State College police said a construction worker died Tuesday morning after a fall. Police said the fall was reported just before 9:30 a.m. at the Beaver Terrace Apartments on East Beaver Ave. Police said the 43-year-old Bellefonte man, who has been identified as Corey Eicher, was performing construction repairs to a 5th floor balcony when he fell 28 feet and succumbed to his injuries.

Leland man dies in fall at construction site

Brunswick, NC — A 32-year-old Leland man died after falling at the Wilmington construction site where he was working Friday afternoon. Ramero Felipe fell from a six-story scaffold at the Cape Fear Apartments on Chestnut Street at 2:15 p.m., North Carolina Department of Labor spokesman Jason Tyson. The fall appears to be accidental, Wilmington police spokeswoman Jennifer Dandron said. A preliminary investigation shows Felipe was installing brick veneer to the front of the building before falling the six stories between the building and the scaffolding, Tyson said.

Falling panels kill man at Topeka sale barn

TOPEKA, KS — A Ligonier man died during a workplace incident at the sale barn in Topeka. Delmar Yoder, 18, was helping set up panels to create temporary stalls at the Livestock Auction tent, 601 E. Lake St., when one of the panels fell on top of him around 11:45 a.m. Friday, said Stewart Bender, chief of the Topeka Fire Department. Another man tried to lift the panel off Yoder, but the rescue was interrupted as about six or seven more panels toppled to the ground. “It was a domino effect then after the one,” Bender said. The other man escaped that situation unharmed. Yoder was pulled from the wreckage as emergency responders were called to the scene.

Worker Dies After Fall in Manhattan Subway Tunnel

New York, NY — A worker making repairs to a subway tunnel in Manhattan was killed early Tuesday when he fell and injured his head, the police said. The circumstances of the accident, which occurred just before 5 a.m. at 125th Street and Lexington Avenue inside the tunnel that carries the 4 and 5 trains, were not immediately known, the police said. Officers responding to a 911 call found the man unresponsive and lying on the southbound tracks with trauma to his head. The man, identified by the transit workers union as St. Clair Ziare Richards-Stephens, 23, of the Bronx, was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Richards-Stephens appeared to have fallen from an elevated position within the tunnel area while working at the location, the police said. The investigation is ongoing.

September 11 Hero Dies from Cancer Related to Attack

New York, NY — Thomas Phelan saved hundreds of people on the morning of September 11, 2001. Sadly, he passed away at the age of 45 Monday, becoming one of the thousands of victims who have succumbed to cancer after being exposed to carcinogens after the attack.  Phelan was working for the Circle Line Statue of Liberty ferry cruises when the hijacked planes hit the Twin Towers. Instead of running away, he helped ferry people from the city. “He brought supplies, rescue workers & was a huge part of the operation,” according to the NYC Fire Wire Facebook page. In 2003, Phelan continued to answer the call of duty, becoming an FDNY firefighter and eventually a marine pilot. The hero was diagnosed with cancer linked to the 9/11 attacks, having been exposed to toxic fumes. He is one of thousands of similar victims, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s World Trade Center Health Program.

CDOT contractor dies in Clear Creek Canyon accident

Clear Creek Canyon, CO — A CDOT contractor died after falling in Clear Creek Canyon on Tuesday afternoon. Jaime Sarinana-Herrera, 40, was part of a crew doing rockfall mitigation work along U.S. 6 when the accident occurred. Sarinana-Herrera fell between 50-70 feet. The scene of the incident was initially investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The specific cause of the accident will be determined during a future OSHA investigation. The rockfall work included rock-scaling efforts, rock anchors and adding 285,000 square feet of wire mesh. CDOT contractors began the $3 million rockfall mitigation project in late February between mile markers 260 and 272. That work is on pause until the investigation is concluded.

Officials identify man electrocuted while trimming tree in Camarillo

Camarillo, CA — A 29-year-old from Oxnard was identified as the man who died Friday while trimming a palm tree in Camarillo. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office said Tuesday that Eduardo Sampayo Jimenez was electrocuted while working near power lines in the 500 block of McLeod Rondo.

Cirque du Soleil Death in Florida Under Federal Investigation

Tampa, FL — The death of a Cirque du Soleil performer after he fell during an aerial act is under federal investigation, according to a Department of Labor spokesman. The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened the investigation into the death of Yann Arnaud during a performance in Tampa, Fla., spokesman Eric Lucero confirmed to Bloomberg Environment on March 19. Arnaud fell to the stage below him during an aerial straps routine on March 17, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group said in a statement. Cirque du Soleil said Arnaud was a “long-time aerialist” who had been with the company for more than 15 years. Arnaud was taken to Tampa General Hospital where he was diagnosed as having head and neck injuries and later died.

Bridge worker among six dead in collapse near Florida International University

Miami, FL — An employee working on-site has been identified as one of the six people killed after a pedestrian bridge designed to connect Florida International University to a nearby Miami suburb collapsed onto the busy highway below. Navaro Brown, 37, died in the collapse Thursday, according to Structural Technologies VSL, a company offering products to strengthen bridges. Two other employees remain hospitalized at Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami, spokesman Michael Biesiada told the Miami Herald.

Virginia farm worker becomes buried in soybeans, dies

AMELIA COURTHOUSE, Va. — Authorities say a Virginia farm worker was killed when he became buried in soybeans. The Richmond Times-Dispatch cites an Amelia County Sheriff’s Office release that says 30-year-old Dustin Lee Arthur was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday evening. The sheriff’s office said Arthur was wearing a safety harness and was tethered to the grain bin at the time. Amelia County’s director of emergency management, Kent Emerson, says rescuers had to create a way to safely enter the bin before digging to find Arthur, who was found deceased.

Forklift crushes construction worker to death at violation-plagued Queens jobsite: ‘He was afraid of dying’

Queens, NY — A horrific forklift accident killed a hardhat at a troubled Queens construction site Tuesday, officials said. Edgar Pazmino, 34, an immigrant from Ecuador, was crushed against a wall by the heavy machine, witnesses said. He died at the scene. The jobsite had been peppered with safety violations and stop work orders since September, records show. Pazmino’s brother-in-law told the Daily News that Pazmino repeatedly expressed concern about the working conditions at the site. “He used to say it was very dangerous to work there. He told me this last Saturday,” he said. “‘There’s not enough security. One of these days I’m not going to survive.’ He was afraid of dying. He always complained about it.” Pazmino was working with another man to lift a large window with a forklift when the window fell on him on 89th Ave. near 150th St. in Jamaica at about 11 a.m., police said. “His friend was moving the window,” said Thomas, 37, a fellow construction worker. “When he was moving the window he didn’t see the dude was behind him. So he pushed it toward the wall and it crushed him. It crushed his head, I know that. He was gone.”

OSHA, Tampa police investigate accident that claimed Cirque performer’s life

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Saturday night, in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 people, veteran performer Yann Arnaud fell to his death while performing a high flying stunt. His wife was in the crowd as paramedics rushed on stage to help. “He didn’t move. The whole time ever since he fell and the whole time somebody was on a loud speaker every two minutes asking people to stay in their seats and then eventually, they asked us to leave,” said News Channel 8 reporter Anthony Allred, who was in the crowd as a spectator.

Employee dies in accident at sawmill

St. Joseph, IL — Federal authorities have opened an investigation into a workplace fatality at one St. Joseph company. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said a worker, confirmed as Joshua S. Hill, 38, died in an accident at American Walnut Co., 2801 S. Second St. The accident occurred in the company’s sawmill, said Rhonda Burke, with OSHA’s district office in Chicago. Preliminary information indicates that the employee came into contact with operating equipment used at the facility. The company reported the accident, as required.

OSHA investigating the electrocution of a Clewiston landscaping worker at Alva address

Alva, FL –The death of a citrus company worker in Alva on Sunday morning is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Daniel Cruz Gomez, 41, an employee of Southern Garden Groves Corp., a Clewiston citrus processing company, was electrocuted shortly before 8:30 a.m. when he moved a ladder and it came in to contact with low-hanging electrical lines at 18511 Docs Road, according to a report from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

UPS Worker Dies in Fall

Seattle, WA — While extending the guardrail on a K-Loader at United Parcel Service, Patricia Geehan fell approximately 20 feet to the concrete below, striking her head. (Washington Dept of Labor and Industries)

A man has died in a fall at a construction site in southeastern North Carolina.

Worker dies from head injury in accident at Geneva Rock in Draper

DRAPER, UT — A worker has died after a chute he was installing at a Geneva Rock operation in Draper fell on him, authorities said. The 57-year-old Lee MacKay died of his injuries Wednesday afternoon, Draper police said. Officers offered condolences to his family and co-workers. MacKay was trying to free the heavy piece of equipment that had become stuck when it struck him in the head around 1:30 p.m., said Draper Police Sgt. Chad Carpenter. Draper detectives and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating.

Rustburg truck driver killed in DC-area electrocution

Lorton, VA — A truck driver from Rustburg is dead from a power line electrocution outside Washington D.C. Fairfax County Police say 47-year-old Bobby Blevins Junior pulled off to the side of the roadway Thursday and apparently tried to raise the metal cover that caps the trailer, putting that cover in contact with overhead power lines. The exact circumstances remain under investigation.

Potsdam man killed in workplace accident

CANTON, NY — An Atlantic Testing Laboratories employee was killed last Friday afternoon in a workplace accident at the former cogeneration plant, 80 Lincoln St. Justin A. Miller, 33, also known as “Jam,” of Potsdam, died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident, which occurred between 3:45 and 4 p.m., said village police Sgt. Basil W. Cheney.

Longtime CSX employee killed in work-related accident

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A longtime CSX employee was killed in a work-related accident Monday afternoon. Officials told News 2 the worker, Quintin Pasley, was doing maintenance work when he was hit by a piece of equipment. A CSX train was not involved. The 59-year-old man had worked for CSX for 39 years.

Fatality in plant explosion is Johnson City’s second industrial death in less than a week

JOHNSON CITY, TN – A worker killed at a fluorescent bulb recycling facility Wednesday afternoon became the second industrial accident fatality in Johnson City this week. Johnson City Fire Department District Chief Mike Oliver confirmed one person died in the explosion at Lighting Resources Llc., 300 Boggs Lane, a fluorescent bulb recycling facility.Firefighters were responding to a fire alarm at the business around 4:30 p.m. when people called 911 and reported hearing a loud boom.

Man who died in QEP silo collapse identified, OSHA investigating

Johnson City, TN — The man who died Saturday when a silo collapsed at a Johnson City hardwood flooring plant has been identified.  According to Johnson City Police Department records, James Reed was using a Genie boom lift to spray sawdust off the inside walls of a silo at QEP Co., Inc., 2225 Eddie Williams Road, when the sawdust reportedly collapsed on him. Around 12:45 p.m., coworker Ricky Welsh, who was using a Bobcat to clean up around the silo, said he saw sawdust come out of the silo’s door and noticed the Genie boom lift was also covered in sawdust, according to the police report. Welch told police he couldn’t see Reed and told another coworker, Darrell Roop, that he thought the silo had collapsed.

WSU employee dies after hit by car on campus

WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -A Wichita State University employee who was hit by a car on campus last week has died. University spokesperson Joe Kleinsasser said Kathy Hull was in a crosswalk on campus last Tuesday when she was struck by a car driven by a student. Hull died on Monday. Hull worked at Wichita State for 29 years, most recently as a visual resources coordinator for the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries.  The student’s name was not released.

Farm worker dies in tractor accident

Waynesboro, GA –A 57 year-old farm worker was killed Thursday afternoon, March 8, when he apparently fell from the tractor he was driving and was run over by a mower. Thomas Bates was mowing grass in a pecan orchard just off Highway 56 south of Waynesboro. The Burke County Emergency Management Agency received a call at 2:22 p.m. and responded to the scene, finding Bates with no pulse at the scene.

Freak Accident Near Broadway Junction

BUSHWICK, NY  – A construction worker was crushed to death in a freak accident at a job site near Broadway Junction in Bushwick over the weekend, police confirmed. The accident took place around 3:00 pm on Saturday, March 10 at 1949 Broadway and Stewart Street. As a forklift was lifting a load of scaffolding pipes, the vehicle tipped over, crushing the 47-year old operator between the forklift and a flatbed truck, said police. Responders rushed to pull the tipped vehicle upright, and the victim was transported to Brooklyn University Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.

60-Year-Old Security Guard Killed On The Job Thursday Identified

Walnut Creek , CA — A 60-year-old man from San Pablo who was killed in Walnut Creek on Thursday night while working as a security guard at a construction site has been identified by the Contra Costa County coroner’s office as Harry Edward Swayne III. Swayne was pronounced dead at the scene of the crime after police responded to a call from the 1800 block of Lacassie Avenue just before 7 p.m. Concord resident Hakim Madjour, 34, was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with Swayne’s death. The two men were coworkers, and Madjour allegedly attacked Swayne with a metal pole, resulting in severe head injuries. Madjour was treated for minor injuries before being booked into jail on $1 million bail.

Sanitation Worker Killed

Pasco, WA — A loader had just finished pushing the garbage to the back of one bay, and was backing up to do the next bay. A spotter, David Dietrich, walked behind the loader while looking the other way and was run over. (Washington Department of Labor and Industries)

Eureka man killed by fallen tree branch while working in Hydesville

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) are investigating the death of an independent contractor from Eureka who was killed in Hydesville while doing tree work Wednesday. The HCSO said at around 8 a.m. on March 7 a medical call was made to authorities regarding a worker who had been struck by a tree branch. The worker, 42-year-old Scott Eskra of Eureka, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

I-4 Ultimate worker killed in Orlando construction accident

ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) – The Orlando Police Department has confirmed that there was an industrial accident near South Street and Interstate 4 (westbound on-ramp).  They say that a piece of construction equipment fell on top of a worker that was below.  That worker, identified as Michael Tolman, 56, was transported to the Orlando Medical Regional Center, where he later died.  Tolman was an ironworker for Shelby Erectors, authorities said.

LA PUENTE, CA – An employee of Domino’s Pizza died after being stabbed at least once during a fight with a coworker. Deputies say they responded to the store in the 1000 block of Hacienda Boulevard just before 6 p.m. Saturday for an “assault with a deadly weapon” call. When they arrived, they located male victim who had been stabbed at least once in the upper body. The man was taken to the hospital where he died. A preliminary investigation has revealed that the man and the suspect, both of whom are employees at the location, were involved in a physical altercation. During the course of the dispute, deputies say the suspect produced a knife and stabbed the victim.

Tennessee Theater Worker Dies After Carbon Dioxide Exposure

Pigeon Forge, TN — The president of a Tennessee variety show venue says one of its workers has died after a carbon dioxide leak. The Oak Ridger reports that David Fee, president and CEO of the Smoky Mountain Opry Theater in Pigeon Forge, issued a statement Thursday saying theater technician Josh Ellis has died.  The 38-year-old Ellis died at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he had been placed in a medically-induced coma. Authorities said Ellis and two employees who went to check on him were found unconscious during a performance March 3. Hundreds of people were evacuated. The two surviving workers were released from a hospital within hours. A theater official has said the leak stemmed from a valve left open on a machine that uses carbon dioxide to create fog.

Driver killed, multiple injured after bus carrying high school students crashes into ravine

Baldwin County, AL — The driver of a bus carrying Texas high school band students has died and numerous people are injured after the bus crashed down a steep embankment off the side of an Alabama interstate, authorities said. At 5:33 a.m., the tour bus, which was headed west on Interstate 10 toward Houston, careened near the highway median and ended up in a 50-foot ravine, Lt. Joe Piggott of the Alabama Highway Patrol said in a statement. Baldwin County Sheriff Mack said emergency units were dispatched to evacuate and extricate the passengers. Some were carried out by police deputies, others were brought to the surface by firefighters who rappeled down the ravine. First Class Tours, which owns the bus, identified the deceased driver as one of its employees, Harry Caligone.

3 Workers Killed, Gunman Dead In Standoff At Veterans Center In Yountville

YOUNTVILLE, CA — Three workers for a program that treats veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder were found dead Friday along with the suspect who took them hostage at the largest veterans home in the U.S. The four bodies were discovered nearly eight hours after the gunman slipped into an employee going-away party in a building where combat veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan receive treatment, said California Highway Patrol Assistant Chief Chris Childs. The gunman who killed three people who work for a California program that treats veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder was kicked out of the program, a relative of one victim said Friday. Albert Wong, 36, was identified as the man who went to The Pathway House therapy center on the sprawling campus of the largest veterans homes in the country and took a psychologist and two executives hostage, authorities said. Gunshots were fired around 10:30 a.m. after he arrived at the Veterans Home of California-Yountville but nothing more was heard from him or the women until their bodies were found at about 6 p.m., authorities said. Killed were program Executive Director Christine Loeber, 48; Clinical Director Jennifer Golick, 42; and Jennifer Gonzalez, 29, a clinical psychologist with the San Francisco Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.“These brave women were accomplished professionals who dedicated their careers to serving our nation’s veterans, working closely with those in the greatest need of attention after deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan,” The Pathway Home said in a statement.

Family mourns loss of man after Sandy industrial accident

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT  — A family is mourning after losing their brother in a freak construction accident in Sandy Friday. A massive pipe crushed Russell Andrews, 46, after it fell off the chain hoisting it in the air at a construction site near 11450 S. 1000 East. But Russell Andrew’s family said their brother was a dump truck driver and had no business helping lay pipe on the construction site. “He was willing to help people— I imagine with his boss being there, and running the equipment, ” said Jason Andrews, the victim’s brother. “He was apt to help because that’s his job.” Police on Friday said Russell Andrews was standing on the pipe as it was being moved, and at some point, he jumped off and ended up underneath the 4,000-pound tube that dropped off the chain and crushed him.

Truck driver killed, I-26 overpass badly damaged in fatal Orangeburg wreck

Orangeburg County, SC —  Dept. of Transportation crews on scene of a wreck in Orangeburg County that left a truck driver dead and an overpass badly damaged Friday morning. According to the S.C. Highway Patrol, the driver of a 2016 Peterbilt tractor trailer ran off the road near mile-marker 153 on I-26 eastbound around 10 a.m. The truck hit a bridge column for the 4 Holes Road overpass, and the truck driver died at the scene, Highway Patrol says. The overpass was severely damaged, video from the scene shows. The Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office says Travis Hall, 46 of Wagener, South Carolina was driving the truck.

Troopers identify truck driver killed in crash north of Rockingham

ROCKINGHAM, NC — The North Carolina Highway Patrol has identified the driver who died when his truck veered off of U.S. 220 and collided with a tree as 70-year-old Larry Steven Newell, of Candor. Newell worked for Wayne Dunn Logging, LLC, a shipping and trucking company based in Mount Gilead. First Sgt. B.G. Jones said Newell did not apply the brake at any point in the collision, which suggested a medical issue. The report still had the cause of the wreck as “due to a medical issue” as of Friday morning, according to the Highway Patrol

Eureka man killed by fallen tree branch while working in Hydesville

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) are investigating the death of an independent contractor from Eureka who was killed in Hydesville while doing tree work Wednesday. The HCSO said at around 8 a.m. on March 7 a medical call was made to authorities regarding a worker who had been struck by a tree branch. The worker, 42-year-old Scott Eskra of Eureka, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said Eskra was doing tree work on the property when he was killed by a felled tree branch.

Missouri officer killed, 2 hurt when sent to wrong house

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri police officer who was shot and killed and two others who were wounded had been sent to the wrong house following a 911 call, authorities said Wednesday. Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said no one spoke when the 911 call came in Tuesday night but two women could be heard arguing in the background. For reasons that authorities still are trying to determine, the officers were sent to the address in Clinton where they were shot. The home that officers should have responded to was in Windsor, about 15 miles away. The three Clinton officers went inside the home to determine if criminal activity was occurring and James Waters was in the residence and shot them, Lowe said. It’s not clear if Waters, 37, was living there. Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, 30, died. Officer Nathan Bettencourt was in stable condition Wednesday. The third officer, Nicholas Kasper, was treated for gunshot wounds and released Wednesday.

Body found in debris of massive construction fire near downtown Denver

Denver, CO — A body has been found in the smoldering debris of a major fire at a construction site near downtown Denver Wednesday afternoon that sent a plume of smoke 200 feet into the air and was so hot that it demolished 40 cars. There is still one person missing. “We need to find them,” Denver Fire Department spokesperson Greg Pixley said. “We have to go through and make sure this doesn’t happen again.” One person was critically injured in the blaze and four others were injured either jumping from the burning building or catching people who were, Pixley said. A firefighter also suffered burn injuries.The fire was first reported at a construction site for what was supposed to be a new apartment building near 18th Avenue and Emerson Street at around 12:09 p.m. Pixley says Denver Fire received reports that after the blaze broke out on the third floor of the building, construction workers leapt from the structure to avoid the rapidly growing flames, which consumed the exposed wood at the site within moments. “This is very unique,” Pixley said.

Man killed in Hermiston work site accident

HERMISTON, OR — A man died in an industrial accident southwest of Hermiston on Tuesday morning, but much of the information about the accident is still yet to be released. At 11 a.m., Umatilla County Fire District 1 officials were dispatched to an industrial site on Cottonwood Bend Road, where an Amazon facility is being built. Battalion Chief Corey Gorham said one man died as a result of an accident, but did not confirm his name or exactly how he died. Gorham said the incident is being investigated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and that he couldn’t release any more information about it. Dispatchers on the emergency scanner said the man had been hit by highly pressurized water, and that CPR was administered. Shortly afterward, a dispatcher said a chaplain had been sent to scene.

Mercer County village worker killed in industrial accident

— A Village of Mendon employee was killed in an industrial accident Thursday at the village utility department, Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said. Brendan Poling, 49, had climbed inside the bed of a dump truck carrying salt and it appeared he slipped into a salt auger, where another village employee discovered him, the sheriff said in a prepared statement released tonight.  Deputies were dispatched to the utility department, 340 E. Market St., just after 11:30 a.m. for a male stuck in an auger.  Poling, who was a Mendon resident, died at the scene, the sheriff said. No word on whether the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been contacted. OSHA, part of the federal labor department, usually investigates industrial accidents.

Crown Point man dies after building materials topple onto him at Nick’s Building Materials, police say

CROWN POINT, IN — OSHA officials have been contacted to investigate after a Crown Point man died in a work-related injury Monday morning, authorities said Tuesday.  Kelly S. Davaney Jr., 23, was pronounced dead from blunt force trauma at 10:58 a.m. at the scene in the 11100 block of Broadway, according to a Lake County coroner’s office release. Crown Point police and fire responded to Nick’s Building Materials, 11100 Broadway, at 9:52 a.m., for a report of a serious injury to an employee, according to police. It appears building materials toppled onto Davaney, causing his injuries, police said.

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