Weekly Toll: Workers Not Coming Home From Work Last Week

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, Manhattan, NYC – A worker died after being struck in the head in a construction accident in Upper Manhattan late last week. Authorities report that 28-year-old Angel Espinoza, a resident of Staten Island, was working on a landing below the roof of the International House on Riverside Drive near W. 122nd St. when the beam fell from scaffolding being broken down by two of his co-workers high above. WABC-TV reports the building was used as a dormitory for students from several universities. The six men on the job site — employees of Pratt Construction and Renovation Inc. — were doing minor renovations to the building’s exterior, police said. Espinoza was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Firefighter Dies Battling Wildfire Near Yosemite National Park

Mariposa County, CA — A second-generation California firefighter who was using a bulldozer to prevent a wildfire from spreading was killed Saturday near Yosemite National Park, state fire officials said. Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Braden Varney, 36, died in the morning hours, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The blaze broke out Friday night in Mariposa County, near the west end of Yosemite National Park and Sierra National Forest. Fire officials said it had burned about 150 acres (61 hectares). Varney worked through the night and was driving the bulldozer to cut a firebreak to keep the fire from extending into a nearby community, according to fire chief Nancy Koerperich. He is survived by his wife, Jessica, daughter Malhea, 5, and son Nolan, 3.

MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED WITH OWN GUN: POLICE

WEYMOUTH, Mass. – A Weymouth Police Officer is dead after responding to reports of a man vandalizing and erratically driving in an eastern Massachusetts town, according to our NBC affiliate WBTS-TV. According to authorities, Officer Michael Chesna responded to the call at around 7:30 a.m. Sunday at a local hospital where authorities say the suspect Emanuel Lopes, 20, was allegedly driving recklessly. Chesna then saw Lopes vandalizing a home, that’s where Lopes then hit Chesna in the head with a rock and took his gun shooting Chesna multiple times, officials said. After the shooting, medics came at the scene and took Chesna to South Shore Hospital where he later died.

Loved ones gather at candlelight vigil to remember tattoo parlor shooting victims

Fresno, CA — It was an evening filled with shared stories, laughter and tears as dozens of people went to remember their loved ones. It was just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, when police were called to Fresh Ink Tattoo Studio for a shooting that took place inside.  “They located two victims inside the tattoo parlor that had been shot multiple times and began performing CPR and first aid on them,” said Lt. Carl McKnight. Jesse Hernandez, 35, and Pisa Xayapheth,30, were transported to Community Regional Medical Center where they were pronounced dead.

Vigil held for man killed in Dallas sanitation truck crash

Dallas, TX — Friends, family and strangers attended a Saturday night vigil for a man killed in a sanitation truck crash.  Investigators are trying to figure out what caused the driver of a city sanitation truck to crash into a parked trash truck. There were two passengers in the city truck. One was in critical condition, the other died. Saturday night’s vigil was an intimate gathering for Alvin Sadler, held just feed from where the 49-year-old City of Dallas sanitation worker died Thursday.  Desmond Watts drives the route regularly and says it can be dangerous. “It’s a little chaotic as you can see there’s no real indications on the road it’s just one big street. This trucks take up a lot of space so if you’re not careful you can definitely get hurt,” he said. The city worker who was critically injured will have to have his legs amputated.

Memorial Golf Tournament for Man Killed by Lightning Strike

MAUMELLE, Ark. — A Central Arkansas community is rallying together to help the family of a construction worker killed by a lightning strike. It’s been almost a month since 27-year-old Tyler Grisham was killed when the tree he was standing under was struck by lightning. Tyler had been on a job site for RedStone Construction off Coronado Cove in Maumelle doing contract work on a water main project. Friends and family are organizing a memorial golf tournament to both benefit Tyler’s wife and daughters, as well as raise awareness of the dangers of lightning. “No one else should have to lose a daddy or a husband,” said Tyler’s wife Shawna-Leigh Grisham.

FDNY Battalion Chief Robert Miuccio dies of 9/11-related cancer

New York, NY — Retired FDNY Battalion Chief Robert Miuccio, a Ground Zero hero famed for walking through burning buildings with a cigar in his mouth instead of an air mask, died Thursday of 9/11-related cancer, his family said. He was 76. “My dad never stopped thinking about the guys in the department,” his son, retired firefighter Robert Miuccio Jr., told the Daily News. “When we were at the hospital, he was talking in his sleep. ‘Come on boys! We gotta put the fire out.'” Miuccio, who served with the department for 39 years, died after a two-year battle with lung cancer, officials and family said.  Miuccio’s brother perished in the terror attack. He set aside his grief for the next 3½ months as he led firefighters’ efforts to recover the remains of the dead. “They assigned him a section of the pile,” said Muccio Jr., 53, who continues to deal with serious health complications from his own 9/11-related illnesses. Hundreds of firefighters worked under his command, his son said.

Vigil for slain Imo’s Pizza delivery driver

ST. LOUIS, MO — An Imo’s Pizza delivery driver was shot in the neck on July 4, 2018 while he was making a delivery in south St. Louis City. Dave Matthews, 31, died from his injuries Saturday morning.  Matthews was delivering a pizza just before midnight in the 3900 block of Potomac in Tower Grove South where he was shot several times and rushed to the hospital. Police have not identified a possible suspect.

Ottawa Lake man dies at workplace; incident under investigation

OTTAWA LAKE, MI — The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 29-year-old Ottawa Lake man who died at his workplace Thursday. At approximately 3:30 p.m., sheriff’s deputies were called to Erie Technologies, 6872 Memorial Highway in Ottawa Lake in regards to an unconscious employee. The man, who was not identified, was found unresponsive inside an industrial work area at plant, a news release said. Deputies administered cardio pulmonary resuscitation and other live-saving measures, however, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Man killed during power line work

Elkhart, IN – A worker died after touching a power line in Elkhart Friday. Elkhart police said the 21-year-old man was apparently working as a contractor on electrical lines when he came into contact with a cable and was killed in the 900 block of Hester Street around 9:30 a.m. Police did not release the man’s name in a news release about the incident. The case remains under investigation.

DISNEY EMPLOYEE DIED AFTER BEING TRAPPED UNDER UTILITY CART, POLICE SAY

Orlando, FL — Walt Disney World employee was killed on Monday after he became trapped under a utility cart he was working on, a report from the  Orange County Sheriff’s Office stated. The report, released on Tuesday, revealed that the utility cart Juan Alberto Ojeda, 33, was working on drove onto the curb, ran into a chain link fence and fell on top of him. Ojeda was working on the cart’s battery when he died at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, according to the report. Two witnesses, identified as resort employee Danny Vazquez and new hire Josh Willner, told police they saw the accident happen from about 20 yards away. Vazquez told authorities he was showing Willner around the facility when he heard “a screeching sound and turned to see a Toro utility vehicle drive up onto a curb and into a chain link fence.” The men said they saw the vehicle move six feet up the fence before falling on top of Ojeda.

One Person Killed in Palo Alto Preschool Parking Lot Construction Site Accident

Palo Alto, CA — One person died in a fatality at a worksite in the parking lot of a preschool and church Thursday morning in Palo Alto, police said. Police spokeswoman Janine De la Vega said an officer was flagged down at 8:47 a.m. while patrolling near the 2400 block of Middlefield Road. The fatality was reported at a construction site outside a parking lot for Love N Care Preschool and Bridgeway Church, located at 2490 Middlefield Road. There was heavy equipment and machinery involved in the worksite, De la Vega said, but police cannot yet confirm the reason for the worker’s death.

Worker Stuck In Machine, Killed At Sharon Sheet Metal Company

SHARON, MA (CBS) – A 26-year-old worker at a sheet metal company in Sharon was killed in a horrific incident Thursday morning. Police, firefighters and EMTs were called to InMetal on Merchant Street around 9:30 a.m. after the operator of a large metal-cutting machine got stuck in the machine. “He was trapped pretty good,” Deputy Fire Chief Richard Murphy told reporters.  It took about an hour-and-a-half to free the worker, who was then rushed to Norwood Hospital. He died a short time later.  His name has not been made public yet.

63-Year-Old Postal Worker Dies Delivering Mail in 117-Degree Heat

Los Angeles, CA — Peggy Frank, a 63-year-old California postal worker — and also a mother and grandmother — died this week while working her usual route in unusually hot weather. The extreme heatwave currently afflicting Southern California was especially brutal in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, where temperatures were recorded as high as 117 degrees the day Frank succumbed to heat exhaustion. According to CBSLA, Frank’s family is unhappy the United States Postal Service had her working in such high temperatures at her age. “To have my mom 107 [degrees], humidity, carrying the mailbag around with no air conditioning in the car — yeah, I’m sure she’s probably gonna overheat,” Frank’s son Kirk Kessler told CBS2 News.

Construction worker dies after fall off Highway 80 bridge

OUACHITA PARISH, La. (KNOE) – The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office says a construction worker died while working on a bridge Thursday morning. They say it happened just before 9:40 A.M. at the site of a new bridge under construction on U. S. Hwy 80 East in the Monroe area. Investigators say it appears the worker fell from the bridge. When the deputies had arrived, the victim was dead. The worker’s name is being withheld until his family can be notified.

Man killed at construction site in Concord

CONCORD, PA — An industrial accident that claimed the life of a construction worker Tuesday afternoon is under investigation by Pennsylvania State Police and the Delaware County Medical Examiner’s office.  Cpl. Danea Durham, spokeswoman for Troop K Media, said the incident at 1 Braxton Way was reported about 1:30 p.m. According to Durham, the construction worker was apparently hit by a piece of equipment. The unidentified construction worker was pronounced dead at the scene, she said.

Construction worker killed in Pitt County identified

PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) Deputies have identified a construction worker killed just outside of Greenville on Thursday. Deputies say 57-year-old Mark Davis, of Greenville, died around 5:00 p.m. when he was hit by a dump truck. It happened in the 3600 block of Tifgreen Drive and was initially investigated by Greenville police. Police later discovered that the mishap actually happened outside the city limits so deputies were called in to take over the case. Authorities say the man was working with others to install a road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies say the death is still under investigation.

Firefighter dies after gas explosion turns street into rubble

Sun Prarie, WI — Mahlon Mitchell, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, identified the firefighter who was killed as Cory Barr. Konopacki says firefighters and police responded to a reported gas leak about 6:20 p.m. Witnesses reported the explosion about 7:15 p.m. “We were told that a contractor did strike one of our natural gas mains”, said Amy Jahns, spokesperson for We Energies. Authorities have cordoned off a half-mile radius from the blast zone downtown. Meantime, one firefighter was still hospitalized and in stable condition, said police Lt. Kevin Konopacki of Sun Prairie, a suburb of Madison. A plume of smoke could be seen for miles around the community of 30,000 near Madison. Fire crews worked into the evening and flames could still be seen from Sun Prairie High School, almost one mile away just before midnight. According to a GoFundMe account, Barr was 34-years-old.

Authorities say Iowa man killed when crane boom fell on him