Death Toll in California’s Carr Wildfire Raises to 7 as Utility Worker Dies
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — A utility worker was killed near a Northern California wildfire as crews working in sweltering conditions battled multiple blazes, including twin fires that exploded in size and forced hundreds more to evacuate rural communities, officials said Sunday. The Pacific Gas and Electric employee was fatally injured in a vehicle-related accident Saturday on the western edge of the Carr Fire in Shasta County, said utility spokeswoman Melissa Subbotin. Jairus Ayeta, who was in his 20s, worked as an apprentice lineman and was part of a PG&E crew working in “dangerous terrain” to restore power, she said. Ayeta is the seventh person to die in the immense blaze that has been burning for two weeks near Redding, where armies of firefighters and fleets of aircraft continue battling the flames about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of the Oregon state line. Two firefighters and four residents, including two children, were also killed.
Worker killed in Englewood while building pool deck
One worker killed, another seriously injured in overnight crash at Anderson worksite
ANDERSON, IN – One worker was killed and another was seriously injured after a car crashed through their worksite Saturday morning. The Madison County Sheriff’s crash team responded to a call around 8 a.m. on a bridge on County Road 600 West just south of County Road 200 North, that an SUV struck two men working on a bridge crossing the White River, according to Madison County Sheriff Scott Mellinger. David A Kirk, 58, Gwynneville, Indiana, was pronounced dead at the scene. Brandon Hanson, 39, Gwynneville, was lifelined to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis with serious pelvic and leg injuries. Both men work for AK Shannon Excavating Company and were contracted by Madison County to perform bridge work on the White River bridge.
Worker Commits Suicide on the Job
Clarkston, WA — Ray Spencer was installing siding at 730 13th Street, Clarkston, WA. The owner of the company departed and later returned finding Spencer hanging in a detached garage by an extension cord. Emergency medical technicians were called and attempted to revive the employee. Asotin County Corner declared the death to be suicide, asphyxiation by hanging. (Source: Washington Department of Labor and Industries)
Officials identify Texas pipeline worker killed in explosion
HOUSTON, TX – Texas officials released the name of a pipeline worker who died from injuries suffered when a Midland County, Texas, natural gas pipeline caught fire and exploded on Wednesday, sending seven people to the hospital. Bud Taylor, an employee of Navitas Midstream Partners, was one of five workers and two firefighters responding to a gas leak when at least one pipeline caught fire and triggered a series of explosions affecting several lines in the area, authorities said. The 63-year-old died on Friday at University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, where five workers were airlifted on Wednesday from the Midland County blast. The names and affiliations of the other workers injured have not been released.
Truck driver killed in wreck
FRANKLIN, WV — A Virginia man lost his life after a single-vehicle accident on Allegheny Mountain in Pendleton County. Omar Hadi Fenjan Al Khuzaie, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was killed when he crashed the tractor trailer he was operating. West Virginia State Police Sgt. A.D. Teter said in a press release. “A tractor trailer was traveling east on U.S. 33, going down a steep grade, in a sharp lefthand curve, when the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to exit the roadway edge, overturning and crashing down over a steep mountain.”
Granite City man killed in construction accident at Menard prison
CHESTER, Ill. – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating a construction accident that claimed a Granite City’s man life Thursday. The accident occurred at the Menard Correctional Center. The exact circumstances surrounding the accident were not disclosed, but we do know that 55-year-old Ronald Pointer was killed. No other injuries at the prison were reported. The Chester, Illinois and Perryville, Missouri fire departments rushed to the prison following the accident. Pointer was a contractor for Merlin Stelzer Services and had 30 years of experience.
Police release name of man killed in Columbus plant accident
COLUMBUS, Neb. — Authorities have released the name of an employee killed in an accident at a Columbus manufacturing plant. First responders were sent Tuesday morning to the Nebraska Precast plant to help someone pinned under a concrete form. Four other workers were taken to a hospital. One worker was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have identified him as 61-year-old Juvenal Aguilar, who lived in Columbus.
Employee dies in industrial accident at North 40 Outfitters store
COLVILLE, Wash. – A 63-year-old retail worker in Colville was killed Thursday when a shelving unit fell on top of him. Stevens County Coroner Lorrie Sampson said she was called to North 40 Outfitters on Main Street on the south side of the city at about 7:45 a.m. on a report of an accidental death. She identified the deceased as Randy Rowland. An autopsy has been scheduled. “All we know is that there was a very large shelving unit that toppled over and, kind of in a domino effect, took out another shelving unit,” Sampson said. “Both shelving units combined and came down on this man. They’re very heavy.”
Demo Worker Dies From Oceanfront Building Collapse
MIAMI BEACH, FL — A demolition worker struck by flying debris in the July 23 collapse of a former Miami Beach oceanfront condominium, has died from his injuries, according to Miami Beach police. Forty-two-year-old Samuel Landis was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition following the building collapse. He died Friday afternoon. “The investigation remains active and open,” Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department told Patch. “As such, no additional information is currently available.” The former oceanfront Marlborough House condominium building collapsed when a planned demolition went horribly wrong. Witnesses described hearing a thunderous crash as the high-rise building came tumbling down like a house of cards. The building was located at 5775 Collins Avenue. “Obviously during that demolition something went terribly wrong,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told reporters at the time.
Police ID dump truck driver killed in Lake Geneva accident
LAKE GENEVA, WI — Lake Geneva police Friday identified the Mukwonago dump truck driver who was killed in an accident Thursday. Todd Klauser, 58, was driving a truck owned by Sobczyk Trucking of Big Bend, police Lt. Ed Gritzner said in a news release. At about 8:39 a.m. Thursday, police responded to an accident involving the dump truck at the ramp of westbound Highway 50/southbound Highway 120 and eastbound Highway 12. Klauser died at the scene, police said Thursday. The dump truck sustained severe damage. Gritzner said in an email Saturday, “The dump truck exited onto the off ramp, left the roadway and rolled.”
Woman killed in accident at Ventra
CADILLAC, MI — A 61-year-old woman was killed Monday at the Ventra factory in Evart. The assembly worker was walking from the work area to the break area when a steel water pipe fell on her head, according to publicly available information from the Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Administration. The pressurized six-inch pipe was 15 feet up, preliminary reports said. Robin Wilkins-Yazdani was identified as the worker killed in the incident, according to a death notice received by the Cadillac News.
Worker dies after 40-foot fall at Dallas convention center
Dallas, TX — An electrician employed by Dallas’ Department of Aviation died after a fall Thursday morning at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The man fell while working on lighting for aircraft navigational aids on the roof of the building, the city said. He fell 40 feet from the heliport, KTVT-TV (Channel 11) reported, and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Road construction worker dies 2 days after being hit by Marlette woman
ST. CLAIR COUNTY, MI – A road construction worker from Indianapolis died Thursday, two days after police say he was hit on the job by a Marlette woman. Julian Perez, 44, was working on M-25 north of Carrigan Road in Fort Gratiot Township shortly after noon on Tuesday when a 28-year-old Marlette woman driving north through the construction zone hit him. Perez was unresponsive when emergency crews arrived at the scene. He was taken to McLaren Port Huron hospital and transferred to McLaren Macomb hospital, where he died Thursday morning.
Worker falls to death dismantling Ohio factory tower
Ohio truck driver killed in Interstate 80 crash
Everett Fire Chief: First woman in department dies from occupational cancer
Everett, MA — Everett lost their only active duty female firefighter to occupational cancer yesterday, the department’s chief said. Susan Pipitone, 56, of Haverhill battled the disease for over a year after serving on the fire department since 1993. “She was fighting the good fight, she’s a strong woman,” Everett fire Chief Anthony Carli told the Herald yesterday. “It’s a sad day.” The first woman to work as a firefighter in the department’s history, Pipitone was there even before Carli joined.
Man killed when truck falls on him at salvage yard
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. – Clayton County police are calling it a freak accident after a pickup truck landed on top of a salvage yard worker. The worker died at the scene in Ellenwood. Police told Channel 2’s Audrey Washington that Michael Hilley, 31, was pulling a part from underneath the pickup truck when something went wrong and the truck landed on top of him. Investigator said Hilley was removing a part from the truck, which was being held up by a forklift, when the truck fell directly on top of him. Hilley was pronounced dead at the scene.
Construction Worker Falls to His Death Off Roof of Baltimore Self-Storage Building
Baltimore, MD — 19-year-old construction worker fell to his death last Thursday while working on the roof of a CubeSmart self-storage facility in Baltimore. Cesar Ismael Villalobos Lima tried to use his foot to stop a large cart from rolling off the roof, but the piece of equipment pushed him over the edge, according to police. The police received the call at 6:55 a.m. Lima worked for Bel Air Foam & Roofing Inc. It’s not clear from the report what work was being performed atop the six-story structure at 211 E. Pleasant St., though Bel Air specializes in urethane foam insulation and roof installations, according to the company website.
Lawn worker killed trying to break up fight between mom and son, Cedar Hill police say
Cedar Hill, TX — Police say a man hired to do yard work was shot and killed when he attempted to break up a fight between a mother and her son in Cedar Hill early Sunday night. Authorities say the mother called police at about 5:45 p.m. to report that her son, 24-year-old Jeremy C. Mobley, shot someone at their home in the 1600 block of Allen Drive. “It’s a terrible, tragic incident,” said Cedar Hill police spokesman Lt. Colin Chenault. “The victim was trying to de-escalate and intervene.”
Cana man killed in tree-cutting accident
Pinnacle, NC — A Cana, Virginia, man was killed on the job Thursday while cutting trees in Pinnacle. Stokes County Emergency Services Director Brandon Gentry said Lefty Michael Ogle, 60, of Cana, was killed in the incident. “A limb had fallen and hit the gentleman on the head,” said Gentry, “and he suffered a fatal injury from it.” The call came in at 9:52 a.m. Thursday, and EMS and Double Creek Fire Department were dispatched to call, which identified a head trauma, Gentry said. Ogle was transported by Air Care to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Ogle’s sister, Sherry Holt, said on Monday that Ogle died later that evening at approximately 7:30 p.m. “Lefty was on the ground and his partner was in the bucket. Lefty had moved from the safe zone,” said Holt. “His partner hollered, but they were both wearing earplugs. He had his hard hat on, but it (the tree limb) crushed his brain.”
Las Vegas corrections officer died after ‘incident’ with inmate, city says
Las Vegas, NV — Kyle Eng’s dream was to be a police officer. But on July 19, about a month after officially starting a second career in law enforcement as a Las Vegas corrections officer, Eng died after a fight with an inmate at the city jail, police said Monday. According to a Facebook post from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Eng, 51, was found unconscious at the Las Vegas jail on July 19 shortly after he was “involved in a fight with an inmate.” He was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Crane Worker Killed
Montezuma, IA — An investigation is under way after a crane worker was killed on a wind farm in Poweshiek County. Blattner Energy confirmed that an accident Saturday claimed the life of a crane operator at a construction site. Blattner is building the wind turbines for MidAmerican Energy. The company is cooperating with local authorities and OSHA in the investigation. The victim’s name was not immediately released.
LADOT traffic officer fatally struck in Van Nuys is the second in city’s history killed while on duty
Los Angeles, Ca — A Los Angeles Department of Transportation traffic officer who was killed in Van Nuys last week, only the second in the city’s history to have died from injuries suffered on duty, was identified by the coroner’s office Monday as 45-year-old Gregory Park of Los Angeles. The traffic officer was “outside of his vehicle issuing a parking citation” when he was struck at around 7:15 a.m. Friday by a vehicle that was involved in a collision, said Officer Ray Brown of the Los Angeles Police Department media relations office.