How workers died over the past few weeks: I was on vacation for a couple of weeks, so this is a much longer, and much more depressing list — as I continue to try to catch up. Trench collapse, explosion, electrocutions, shootings, falls, machinery incidents, wildfires, vehicle incidents and on and on and on. On average, over 100 workers are killed every week in the United States due to traumatic injuries suffered at work. More than 20 times as many die from occupational diseases, many due to exposure to hazardous substances many years before they died. The few narratives below (gathered from almost 100 Google News searches) do not come close to capturing the full toll that work takes on the working people of this country. Nevertheless the accounts below gave you a taste of the preventable carnage occurring in workplaces across the country every day.
Investigation underway after Pike Electric lineman killed while servicing power lines in Louisville
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — An investigation is underway after a contractor from Pike Electric died while working on power lines in Louisville over the weekend. It happened Saturday afternoon at Preston Highway at Loretta streets in the Newburg neighborhood. LG&E/KU spokeswoman Natasha Collins confirmed the death a written statement emailed to WDRB Monday morning: “A contract line technician from Pike Electric suffered fatal injuries while performing electric service restoration work within our LG&E system near Preston Hwy at Loretta Street Saturday afternoon. We are working with Pike to thoroughly investigate the accident that took place. The victim, identified as 29-year-old Jameson Hall of Salyersville, Kentucky, was taken to UofL Hospital. He was pronounced dead around 2:45 p.m.
Libertyville-area man’s death likely a workplace accident
Libertyville, IL — Police and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are investigating how a 53-year-old Libertyville-area man was killed Wednesday morning by a falling trailer ramp near Vernon Hills in what appeared to be an accident. Police said the man was on the 24800 block of North Milwaukee Avenue apparently trying to get a trailer ready to take to a worksite. Investigators believe the man attached a trailer ramp to the bucket of an excavator with a chain so he could move the ramp into place. But it appears the chain slipped and the ramp fell on the man, said Lake County sheriff’s Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli. Covelli said the man was discovered by one of his employees around 6:30 a.m. Covelli said investigators believe the man had been dead for an hour or two before he was discovered.
Utility worker dies after ditch cave-in in Perry
PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A utility accident claimed the life of a worker Thursday morning and left another injured when a ditch caved in at Massee Lane and Cater Avenue. 20-year-old Caleb Smith of Knoxville succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at Perry Hospital, according to a Perry Police news release. The other worker was taken to Atrium Health Navicent. There’s no update yet on that worker’s condition. Major Heath Dykes with Perry Police says officers responded to the scene just before 11 a.m. Upon arrival to the scene, it was discovered that an individual had been trapped in the ditch and efforts were being made to extract him from the fallen debris,” the release stated. “While on the scene, there was an active gas leak from a broken gas main that was later capped off by ESG. Perry Fire and Perry Police Department assisted the injured victims on the scene.” Police say the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (O.S.H.A) has been notified of the incident and is currently investigating.
French Broad Lineman Killed In Tragic Accident
Bakersville, NC — Forty-three year old Brian Keith Blankenship tragically died in an electrical accident on Tuesday, August 8th. Blankenship was working on the outages in the Bakersville area that had occurred during the bad storm that afternoon. French Broad Electric has released this statement: “It is with our deepest regret that Bryan Blankenship passed away from injuries sustained from an electrical contact he suffered on August 8th around 2:30 pm. Bryan was working on a pole when he made contact with an energized line. One of our other linemen climbed the pole and lowered him from the pole where other crew members worked to resuscitate him until the paramedics arrived. He later passed away at the hospital.
Crane accident claims life at Bellavance Trucking
BARRE, VT — Authorities have confirmed a Chelsea man was killed in a crane-related industrial accident that occurred at the Bellavance Trucking terminal on Vine Street early Tuesday afternoon. Police Chief Brad Vail said Thursday the accident occurred shortly after 1 p.m. on Tuesday while a large section of conveyor, typically used in the granite industry, was being unloaded from a truck with a crane. According to Vail, the heavy metal conveyor — complete with roller tracks — somehow slipped out of the strapping and landed on Arthur Sanford, 49, of Chelsea. Sanford, who Vail said was pinned beneath the equipment when paramedics arrived, was “alert and responsive” at the time, but pronounced dead at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin. Vail said it isn’t completely clear what went wrong, but indicated Sanford, who was standing on a rolling safety ladder beside the truck, realized there was a problem.“He turned quickly to get out of the way but slipped on the steps,” Vail said of Sanford, who was employed at Bellavance.
West Virginia truck driver killed when RV blows tire; 4 others also killed
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A recreational vehicle blew a tire on an interstate highway in Pennsylvania, crossed the median and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer, killing four people in the RV and the truck driver, authorities said. The crash occurred around 8:50 p.m. Wednesday on northbound Interstate 81 near Chambersburg, in south-central Pennsylvania, state police said. The RV, which was heading south and towing a trailer, crossed a grassy median after the tire blew and struck the truck, which was towing double trailers. Four people in the RV and the truck driver were all pronounced dead at the scene, and no other injuries were reported. Those killed in the RV were identified as Donald Molander, Kimberly Molander, Miranda Molander and Dane Molander, all of Middletown, Pennsylvania. The truck driver was identified as James Shade, of Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Lightning struck and killed Florence man at work
FLORENCE, Ala. — A worker in Florence, Alabama died after a reported lightning strike during severe weather in the state. The Florence Police Department (FPD) posted on social media that police, fire and EMS responders were called to Florence Industrial Park on Kendall Drive on Aug. 7. The FPD stated a 28-year-old worker in the parking lot had been struck by lightning. The police department did not mention whether the worker died at the parking lot or at a hospital.
CT Tree Worker Dies In Bucket Truck Accident: Reports
PLAINVILLE, CT — A tree company worker died Sunday following a bucket truck accident in Plainville, WTNH News-8 reported. Michael Holcomb, 59, of Bristol, died due to injuries suffered in a Wednesday incident. Police, firefighters, and emergency medical crews responded to Hollyberry Lane when a tree service team called in a report of an accident, according to WTNH News-8. First responders found Holcomb partially trapped by the truck’s bucket and suffering from severe head trauma. He was taken to a local hospital then flown to another facility where he was reportedly in serious but stable condition. An initial investigation found that the bucket truck’s boom failed as the crew was cutting tree limbs. The bucket and the worker fell to the ground, NBC CT reported.
Construction Worker Crushed After Roof Collapse
Woodbury, NY — Last week, a construction worker was killed on Long Island, N.Y., after the roof he was working on collapsed, trapping the man for hours before he was extricated, according to CBS television in New York. The victim, a 49-year-old male, identified as Donaldo Duque, was on scaffolding 30 feet off the ground as he erected a roof for a new building at the Jericho Water District Facility in Woodbury, a hamlet in the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, about 40 miles northeast of New York City, police said. The incident happened on Aug. 3. Two additional construction workers were reportedly injured when the roofing structure collapsed around 9 a.m. at the Water District Facility’s Stillwell Lane location. A 24-year-old man was treated and released from a hospital for facial lacerations. Duque, from the hamlet of Roosevelt, located in the Long Island town of Hempstead, was crushed against the building’s concrete wall. It took more than six hours for the police Emergency Services Unit, Syosset Fire Department and crane operators to extricate the victim. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Employee dies in Rowan County workplace accident, officials say
EAST SPENCER, NC — According to fire officials, a 37-year-old employee at Westlake Royal Building Products, formerly Boral Composites, Inc., on Correll Street has died after being caught in a machine at the plant. Fire Chief Shawn McBride said the man, who has not been identified, was feeding materials into some sort of press when his arm was caught and he was pulled in to the machine. McBride said the call came in at 1:59 p.m. and East Spencer and Salisbury fire departments, East Spencer police and Rowan County Emergency Management responded. The first EMS to arrive determined the man was deceased, and a custodian was able to help firefighters get the man released from the machine.
Contractor killed at steel plant
BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) – A contractor was killed at a steel plant worksite in Blytheville. According to Jon Witherow, the general manager and vice president of Nucor-Yamato Steel Company, a contractor for Boom Country Tire working at Edw. C. Levy Company’s location on the steel site was killed. Although it is unclear how the worker was killed, the company says they will continue to work with Boom Country Tire, Edw. C. Levy Co., and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) officials to investigate the incident.
Utility worker dies after electrical accident Tuesday
STATE CENTER, Iowa — One worker is dead following an electrical accident in State Center early Tuesday morning, according to a State Center Police Department press release. Police said utility worker Jacob Weuve was shocked while working around 7:30 a.m. He later died from his injuries. Weuve, a State Center resident, had worked at the State Center Electrical Utility for 13 years.
Fairway officer dies after shootout with 2 suspects at Mission QuikTrip
FAIRWAY, Kan. — A Fairway, Kansas, officer has died Monday after a shootout with two suspects at a QuikTrip over the weekend. Fairway police said 29-year-old Officer Jonah Oswald has died from his injuries. He was a 4-year veteran of the Fairway Police Department. The department said he leaves behind a wife and two young children. Suspect in Johnson County police shooting has criminal history Police said Oswald was one of many officers trying to arrest two suspects at a Mission QuikTrip when he was shot Sunday.
Construction worker dies after electric shock, falling off roof
BURKE, Vt. (WCAX/Gray News) – A man died Sunday while working at a construction site at an apartment complex in Vermont. State police said 25-year-old Casey Driver was working on the roof of a three-story building when he hit a high-tension power line with a metal ladder and was shocked. He fell about 30 feet off the roof and died. Driver worked for Vincent’s Carpentry in Derby, Vermont. Police and Vermont Occupational Health and Safety Administration are investigating the death.
Smyrna Nissan employee dies weeks after ‘work-related incident’, OSHA investigating
Smyrna, Tenn. (WSMV) – An employee at the Nissan Complex in Smyrna has died, weeks after being hospitalized due to a work-related incident, according to a spokesperson with the company. The spokesperson said that the Smyrna supplier employee was taken to the hospital on Monday, July 17, and has now died. The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) has launched an investigation into this workplace fatality. The employee worked for a Nissan contractor, Yates Services, TOSHA said in a statement. The investigation is expected to take between 8 – 10 weeks to complete.
Security guard killed in parking lot on Federal
DENVER, CO — On Wednesday night, coworkers gathered in a southwest Denver parking lot to pay respects to a man who was gunned down 24 hours earlier. Denver Police say Tuesday night, an individual was shot in the 200 block of South Federal Boulevard. Authorities later said that person succumbed to their injuries. How investigators can tell a gun was used in a crime Sources told FOX31 the victim, a disc jockey who friends identified as Jason Perry, was serving in a security role and had helped to escort the suspect out of the business. Sources said the suspect later returned and shot and killed him in the parking lot of the business.
Longtime Pizza Luce employee was killed by drunk driver, charges say
Lakeview, MN — A Lakeville man had a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit when crashed his truck in south Minneapolis early Saturday morning, killing a longtime Pizza Luce employee, new criminal charges allege. Prosecutors on Wednesday charged 24-year-old Julio A. Alvarado with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the death of 42-year-old Aaron T. Zach. The crash happened shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of West 50th Street and Lyndale Avenue South. Zach, who worked at Pizza Luce for 15 years, was working as a delivery driver at the time of the crash, CBS News confirmed. According to the criminal complaint, police arrived and found Zach’s vehicle “caved in from a forceful impact.” Zach was pronounced dead at the scene.
3 people were killed fighting a California wildfire after two helicopters collided
Cabazon, CA — Three people were killed while fighting a California wildfire after two helicopters collided Sunday afternoon, according to state authorities. First responders were initially responding to a structure fire in Cabazon, Calif., when the blaze spread to nearby vegetation. Cal Fire, the state department that specializes in extinguishing wildfires, then dispatched six aircraft to the scene. A Sikorsky S-64E helicopter, carrying two people, and a Bell 407 helicopter, carrying three people, collided at 6:03 p.m. PDT. The Sikorsky helicopter was able to make a safe landing and neither of the two people aboard were hurt, while the pilot and both passengers aboard the Bell were killed, Cal Fire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher said. The three fatalities were Cal Fire Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, Cal Fire Fire Captain Tim Rodriguez and contract pilot Tony Sousa.
Florida Home Depot employee killed in shooting, deputies say
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said a woman is dead after shots were fired inside a Home Depot in Pensacola Friday. The Home Depot was located near Davis Highway and Brent Lane and was evacuated after the shooting. Deputies said the suspect went to the Mellow Mushroom on Bayou Boulevard and called to turn himself in. At this time, investigators are questioning him, and he will be charged with murder. The woman who was shot and killed by the suspect was a contract employee with Home Depot.
Truck driver killed in North River Road crash
LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A 62-year-old truck driver from Fort Meade was killed in a North River Road crash on Friday morning. Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) says the semi-truck was traveling east on County Road 78 (North River Road) west of Elmwood Drive. According to troopers the driver traveled off the roadway, entered the grass shoulder, and hit two wooden poles. The driver was taken to the hospital but later died from his injuries.
USPS worker died in Monday crash in Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, MI — Authorities on Tuesday released the name of a U.S. Postal Service worker killed in a two-vehicle crash Monday, about a month prior to what would have been his three-year work anniversary. McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder identified 36-year-old Ronald W. Bethard Jr., of Pontiac, as the man who died that morning in a collision at Ashley Drive and Beich Road in southwest Bloomington. Bloomington police said he was pronounced dead at the scene. According to a joint statement from the coroner’s office and the Bloomington Police Department, preliminary autopsy results indicate Bethard suffered multiple blunt injuries when his postal service vehicle was struck by a sport utility vehicle. Bethard was the driver and sole occupant of the postal service vehicle. Toxicology results are pending.
Kitchen employee killed colleague in Trapper Creek lodge restaurant, charges say
Trapper Creek, AK — One man is dead, and his coworker is in jail after a fatal stabbing Monday at a lodge in Trapper Creek, according to Alaska State Troopers. Troopers were informed at about 10 a.m. Monday that 21-year-old Jose Torres-Ayala had been stabbed and seriously injured, according to an online dispatch. He was medevaced from the lodge, but was later declared dead. According to troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel, the stabbing took place in the restaurant of the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation determined that 33-year-old Michael Melendez had stabbed Torres-Ayala, troopers said. He was arrested on charges of first-degree and second-degree murder.
Indiana EMT killed after driver slams into ambulance; paramedic seriously injured
STARKE COUNTY, Ind. — An EMT is dead and a paramedic seriously injured after a vehicle collided with an ambulance that was en route to an emergency. According to the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, the crash occurred on Saturday shortly after 3:20 p.m. at the intersection of County Road 800 South and County Road 700 East. The sheriff’s department said the ambulance had its lights and siren activated at the time of the collision. The ambulance was reportedly traveling eastbound on 800 South when the other vehicle, traveling north on 700 East, slammed into the side of the ambulance and casued it to roll over. The driver of the ambulance — identified as EMT Michael Wilcox Sr. — was pronounced dead at the scene. The paramedic, who was a passenger in the ambulance, was rushed to a hospital in serious condition.
Pittsburg man who died at Antioch construction site identified
Antioch, CA — A man who died while working at construction site in Antioch last Wednesday, August 2, 2023 has been identified. According to Contra Costa County Deputy Coroner Gonzalez, the man was Saul Cisneros, age 55, (born January 31, 1968) of Pittsburg. While contractors were transforming the former ABC Rendezvous bar located on Walter Way near Railroad Avenue into what appears to be a commercial storage facility, a crew member collapsed on the job. Antioch Police and Con Fire paramedics were dispatched at 2:39 p.m. for a medical emergency. Soon after their arrival the medical team announced the individual as a ‘1055’ coroner’s case. In response to the situation, all construction staff were released for the day as APD took charge and roped off the area. As of 4:15 PM that day, Antioch Police Department spokesman Sgt. Price Kendall said an officer was on the scene still investigating. On Sunday, he said no more details will be released, that the Coroner’s Office has the investigation, now and they will determine the cause of death. On Tuesday, August 8, Gonzalez said, “the cause of death has not been determined and is labeled as ‘pending.’ It was not an accident.”
Berkshire Line Project Halted After Worker is Killed
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. – A railroad project in Massachusetts has been shut down after an employee was run over by a piece of machinery. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has stopped trackwork on its Berkshire Line after an employee was killed, according to The Berkshire Eagle. It will conduct a safety review of the contractor, Middlesex Corp. Middlesex has worked with road infrastructure throughout New England and down in Florida as well as some projects for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA). At the time of reporting, no details were given for the work done to the track on the Berkshire Line. However, there have been crews working to support “the heavy freight that traverses Berkshire County from Connecticut to Pittsfield.” And in March 2022, there was a Rail and Transit report that shows a contract for track improvements “to install 9 miles of continuous welded rail in Pittsfield, Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Sheffield.” The incident on the Berkshire Line occurred after 10AM last Friday morning, and currently, the FRA, the NTSB, and Massachusetts state police are investigating the accident.
Man killed in Machesney Park construction accident identified
MACHESNEY PARK, Ill. — The man killed in a construction accident in Machesney Park on Tuesday has been identified. The Winnebago County Coroner’s Office says that 69-year-old Roger Stambaugh of Rock City, Ill. died in the accident. According to the Coroner’s Office and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Stambaugh was working at a construction site in the 4500 block of Steele Dr. in Machesney Park when a large cement pipe rolled towards him as he was standing next to an excavator. The Coroner’s Office says Stambaugh was pinned between the pipe and excavator for minutes until workers on scene were able to free him. Shortly afterwards, authorities say, Stambaugh lost consciousness.
Employee killed in ‘tragic event’ at Toyota Boshoku plant identified as Evansville man
Princeton, In — A 49-year-old Evansville man and Toyota Boshoku employee was killed at the Princeton, Indiana plant on Monday in an unspecified “tragic event,” company officials said. Gibson County Coroner Barrett Doyle identified the victim as Thierno M. Balde of Evansville. Through a corporate statement, Rich Norris, Toyota Boshoku’s vice president of corporate planning, said the company “cannot comment on the details.”
CSX employee identified in fatal incident
CUMBERLAND, MD — A CSX Transportation employee was killed late Sunday after he became entangled in equipment in the area of Queen City Drive and Frederick Street, Cumberland Police said. Travis Bradley, 40, of Ridgeley, West Virginia, died at UPMC Western Maryland after being taken there by a Cumberland Fire Department ambulance shortly after the 11:53 p.m. incident, police said. Bradley was working near a train when the accident occurred, police said. The incident is being investigated by the Cumberland Police Department, Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit, CSX Police and the National Transportation Safety Board. Police said no foul play occurred.
Maintenance Worker Electrocuted, Killed
St Albans, WV — The dangerous nature of maintenance and engineering activities often gets overlooked by the general public and even some managers and front-line technicians. Unfortunately, the risks ever-present in the work – whether it’s electrical or HVAC maintenance or roofing and construction work – regularly surface in deadly ways that offer harsh reminders of just how dangerous the work can be. In the latest fatal accident involving facility maintenance, a man died recently after he was reportedly electrocuted during an incident at a shopping center in St. Albans, West Virginia, according to WSAZ. Police say the man, a 42-year-old maintenance worker, was unresponsive when first responders arrived. They said he was on lift equipment inside the shopping center when the incident happened. A second maintenance worker who was on the lift was treated and released at the scene. St. Albans Police Chief Marc Gilbert said the victim had recently started with the maintenance company. Gilbert said the pair was working on lighting maintenance when the man who died touched a live wire and bumped into the other maintenance worker. That worker then quickly shut the power off. Gilbert said the pair was the only two in the building at the time.
21-year-old Forest Service firefighter dies after crash in southern Oregon
Powers, OR — A 21-year-old U.S. Forest Service firefighter working for the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest died Friday after a pickup truck they were traveling in left the road near Powers in Coos County, according to officials. The U.S. Forest Service identified the man as Benjamin Charles Sapper. The agency said in a news release Sapper was a first-year hand crew member with the Gold Beach Ranger District originally from Boulder, Colorado. In a Facebook post, Coquille Fire & Rescue said a truck with Forest Service firefighters left the road above Powers. It was not immediately clear what caused the truck to leave the road or how many others were in it. The Forest Service described the incident as an “on-duty vehicle accident.”
Driver killed when propane truck overturns in Madera County
Fresno, CA — A propane truck driver was killed Sunday in a single-vehicle collision in Madera County. The California Highway Patrol said the fatal crash happened just before 5 p.m. at Road 222 and 220, near Oakhurst, involving a propane truck that overturned. CHP Sgt. Vincent Villegas said the man was traveling westbound on Road 222, east of Highway 41 when for unknown reasons, the Suburban propane truck had a hard brake application and swerved to the right shoulder and struck the embankment and overturned. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, Villegas said. Villegas said the truck was leaking vapor. Hazmat crews were on the scene to stop the leak.
Gas plumber dies after being assaulted by suspect while on the job, Chandler police say
CHANDLER, Ariz. – A worker in Chandler who was badly hurt after being assaulted by a suspect has died, police confirmed on Aug. 3. The incident happened on June 12 near Ray and Cooper Roads when the 70-year-old Mesa man, Daniel Lopez, was at a client’s home for gas plumbing services. “It was reported that a subject had confronted the victim, assaulted him, and then stole the victim’s vehicle before leaving,” police said. Police say the suspect used a shovel in the attack.
Public Works Employee Killed In Traffic Collision
Lodi, CA — A Lodi public works employee died Thursday after a collision as he worked in a three-way intersection, police said. A car turning north from Watson Street onto South Central Avenue about 7:30 a.m. collided with Ben Gloff, police Lt. Josh Redding said Friday. Gloff was in the intersection near a manhole where he was working with a public works crew, Redding said.
Worker killed at Port Everglades after falling off cement terminal
PORT EVERGLADES, FLA. – A worker was killed after they fell off a cement terminal at Port Everglades, authorities said. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue arrived at the scene, located at 2600 Eisenhower Blvd., Friday morning. According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, deputies discovered the deceased male inside a piece of machinery. Rescue crews are attempting to remove the body from the silo. No other injuries were reported.
Truck driver killed after crashing into vehicle, concrete median on I-294 in Cook County
COOK COUNTY, Ill. – A truck driver is dead after a crash on Interstate 294 in Cook County Friday morning. At about 8:55 a.m., Illinois State Police troopers responded to I-294 northbound at 167th Street in Hazel Crest for a report of a two-unit crash, involving a truck-tractor semi-trailer and a passenger vehicle. According to ISP, the semi-truck struck the passenger vehicle and then struck the left concrete median. The driver of the semi-truck died at the scene.
Police officer struck, killed by train while responding to call, officials say
EASLEY, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) – A South Carolina police officer died while trying to save the life of a suicidal person on train tracks, according to officials. WHNS reports 22-year-old Easley Police Officer Matthew Hare was struck by an oncoming Amtrak train Wednesday morning. The Easley Police Department said they received a call for assistance on the railroad tracks along East Main Street around 5 a.m. While they responded to the call, police said they called North Norfolk Southern to stop all trains in the area. Officials said Hare was trying to get a suicidal person off the train tracks when he was hit by the train. He died on the scene.
Trucker dies after fiery I-35 crash despite heroic rescue efforts
Faribault, MN — A Sioux Falls man rescued from a fiery crash on I-35 near Faribault last month has died. Dennis Brown, 79, died on July 28, according to KELO-TV. A deputy with the Rice County Sheriff’s Office and other bystanders are being recognized for their bravery in pulling Brown from a burning truck at the scene of the collision on July 12. Rice County Sheriff Jesse Thomas plans to honor 23-year law enforcement veteran Nate Hanson later this year. According to a news release, Hanson arrived at the scene that day to find Brown’s semi burning, with black smoke billowing from the cab. Several motorists were working to free Brown, even using a pry bar to force open the driver’s side door. However, Brown’s foot was stuck and he couldn’t pull it loose. Hanson used a fire extinguisher to tamp down the flames and then reached into the vehicle himself. Hanson and another motorist pulled Brown out of the vehicle. “Brown, badly burned, but alert and talking, hit the ground with a thud,” the Sheriff’s Office shared. “He was alone in the truck, he told the deputy who twice moved him toward the median and away from the fire, growing hotter and hotter.” Eleven seconds later, one of the truck’s fuel cells exploded and engulfed the semi in flames.
Unrelated deaths of 2 North Slope oil workers under investigation
Alaska — State and federal inspectors are investigating two unrelated workplace deaths within Alaska’s North Slope oil industry in recent months. Hilcorp Alaska, a top Alaska oil producer that has been repeatedly penalized for operational violations, is named in each investigation. Both are labeled as accidents by workplace safety regulators, and in both cases, inspectors are also seeking information from other companies that may have had a role in the events. Investigators have released limited details about the deaths. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is looking into the June 30 death of a Halliburton worker in a probe at the Northstar oil field, on a man-made island the Beaufort Sea. The field is located in state and federal waters, and federal inspectors are reviewing that incident, state officials said. The employee has not been named, and details of the accident have not been released.
Worker killed, 4 injured in Nebraska ethanol plant explosion, 3 days after fire
WOOD RIVER, Neb. (KHGI) — One person was killed and three others injured in an explosion at a Nebraska ethanol plant, according to the state Fire Marshal’s Office. Chief Investigator Adam Matzner said Tuesday another employee remains in critical condition at an Omaha hospital, while three other on-site contractors have been treated for minor injuries and released from a local hospital. Matzner said the explosion at Green Plains was accidental and the result of work being done on a liquid holding tank. Matzner said there was no fire by the time firefighters arrived, and that the explosion is not related to a fire that happened last Friday at the facility. Authorities said that caused nearly $3 million worth of damage.
La. deputy marshal shot, killed while serving warrant
VILLE PLATTE, La. — A deputy marshal and another man were killed and a woman was critically wounded in a shooting during a drug investigation in southern Louisiana, authorities said Tuesday. Ville Platte Deputy Marshal Barry Giglio died at the scene around 8:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said. Deputy Marshal Barry Giglio was assisting the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office to serve a warrant. Giglio was shot while helping members of the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office serve a search warrant in a home where drug activity was suspected, Louisiana State Police said. A man and a woman in the home also were struck by gunfire and taken to hospitals, where the man died, authorities said.
TX Firefighter Dies of Injuries Sustained in Crash
Honey Grove, TX — An 18-year-old volunteer firefighter has died in a Texas hospital weeks after he crashed on the way to the scene of an accident, according to his family. Evan Brown was a fourth-generation volunteer firefighter, and he had plans to become an EMT, in addition to “continuing his family’s legacy in their trucking, farming, and ranching business,” his obituary says. But that all came to a halt the night of July 9. Brown and another member of the department were responding to a 911 call when they crashed, and Brown suffered “serious injuries,” the post said. They hit a cow that was in the road, and the vehicle rolled, KXII reported. Brown was ejected from his pickup truck, his family said on social media.
West Palm Beach police officer killed in crash identified
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — The West Palm Beach police officer who died in a crash involving his cruiser on Friday in Boynton Beach has been identified by his family as Fernando DeSouza. West Palm Beach police officer Fernando DeSouza served in the U.S. Army. DeSouza, 43, served in the Army for seven years, including doing tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was with the West Palm Beach Police Department for almost 17 years, according to the family. Boynton Beach Police Department officers were called to the intersection of Hypoluxo Road and Lawrence Road just after 2:30 a.m. Investigators said a marked West Palm Beach police vehicle had crashed and caught fire, killing the driver.
Hattiesburg Sanitation Division crew worker dies
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – On Monday, July 31, 2023, Vincent Wiley, 54, a crew worker for the City of Hattiesburg’s Sanitation Division in Public Works, passed away suddenly from a medical emergency. Throughout his career, he held positions in the water transmission division with the Water & Sewer Department and the streets and sanitation divisions for Public Works.
Security guard fatally beaten outside Hollywood nightclub identified as father of 2 from Compton
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The security guard who was beaten to death during an altercation outside a popular nightclub in Hollywood was identified as a young father of two children from Compton, Eyewitness News has learned. Daniel Sandifer, 32, was killed in the early morning hours on Sunday outside the Dragonfly club near Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue. Investigators said Sandifer was working at the nightclub as a security guard when a group of up to 11 people confronted him. Witnesses reported the confrontation turned violent when the group began to beat and stomp Sandifer once he fell to the ground. The young father was rushed to the hospital where he later died.
OSHA is investigating a New Jersey woman’s death after she fell into a large food processor in operation
Woodbridge, NJ — A woman died on Friday after falling into a meat processor at a plant in Woodbridge, New Jersey. OSHA and the Woodbridge Police Department are investigating the woman’s death. United Premium Foods CEO said the company will “fully cooperate with the official investigation.” According to CBS News, a worker at the United Premium Foods processing plant in Woodbridge, New Jersey died after falling into the large machine while it was operating. A Woodbridge township spokesperson said police responded to a call for an industrial accident at the food processing plant at around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, according to USA Today. United Premium Foods did not immediately return Insider’s request for comment, but the company’s CEO Ken Mayer told CBS it is “devastated by the loss of our longtime employee, who was a beloved member of our company.”
Authorities identify man killed in South Dakota worksite incident
WATERTOWN, S.D. – Authorities have identified a man killed in a worksite accident Tuesday morning just outside the Watertown city limits. Quinton Kramer, 47, was hit by the bucket of an excavator while he was working in a gravel pit in the 600 block of 31st Street SE. Medical personnel attempted life-saving measures at the scene before Kramer was taken to Prairie Lakes Hospital where he died. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the circumstances that led to his death.
Tenn. deputy killed after cruiser hit head-on by pickup truck
LAFAYETTE, Tenn. — A sergeant with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office was killed in a crash on Saturday, WSMV reports. Sgt. William Cherry, 55, was killed when a Ford F-150 crossed the center line on Highway 10 and crashed head-on into Cherry’s patrol vehicle, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said. Cherry died on the scene and the driver of the pickup truck was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. Cherry had served with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office for five years and in law enforcement for more than 10 years. He previously served with the Red Boiling Springs Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Celina County Sheriff’s Office, according to Officer Down Memorial Page. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and parents.
S.C. Police Officer Killed in Collision with Tractor-Trailer
NEWBERRY,SC—A fatal collision occurred on Wednesday, July 26, at 5:40 p.m., according to Corporal David Jones with S.C. Highway Patrol. The wreck happened on the intersection between S.C. 395 and S.C. 34. Newberry County Coroner, Laura Kneece identified the driver of the 2015 Ford Taurus as Newberry Police Department Lt. Michael “Mike” Woods, 48, of Prosperity, as the deceased of the incident. Woods was responding to a call, headed southbound on S.C. 395, when he and the driver of a 2022 Freightliner Tractor-Trailer, that was eastbound on S.C. 34, collided. Woods was transported to the hospital by EMS where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to the hospital by EMS, sustaining injuries.
Worker dies in accident at Texarkana, Ark. Goodyear factory
TEXARKANA, Ark. (KSLA) – A Goodyear worker tragically lost their life in an accident at the factory Thursday. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is the largest non-government employer in Texarkana, Ark.
Kansas City police ID semi driver killed in fiery I-435 wreck; search for pickup continues
Kansas City, MO — Kansas City police on Friday identified the semi truck driver killed in a fiery wreck on Interstate 435 as 52-year-old Tony Wyman as authorities continued to search for a pickup truck believed to have contributed to the crash. Firefighters and police officers were dispatched around 8:45 a.m. Thursday to the crash site in the eastbound lanes of I-435 near Interstate 470 in south Kansas City. They came upon a fully engulfed cab of a semi, driven by Wyman, that had struck a Honda sedan while pulling two trailers. Wyman was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver was uninjured, police said. Investigators determined that a pickup truck had dropped debris from its bed onto the highway. After swerving to avoid a collision, police say Wyman hit the Honda and crashed into a guard rail.