How workers died last week: Two workers, including a teenager dies on farms, vehicle incidents, drowning, firefighting, stabbing, helicopter crash. 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.
Two killed after tractor accidents in Columbia, Northumberland counties
COLUMBIA, Pa. — A 69-year-old Columbia County man died Sunday when a farm tractor he operated rolled over and pinned him, the county coroner’s office said. Luke Verbyla tried to load a farm tractor onto a trailer just after 11 a.m. at the Verbyla Farm on Red Road Road in Benton Township and the tractor rolled over during the process, Coroner Jeremy Reese said in a statement. He died at the scene. His death was ruled an accident. It was the second deadly tractor accident in our area this weekend. On Saturday, just more than 30 miles from where Verbyla died, a tractor rolled over onto a 16-year-old boy in Northumberland County. That crash happened before 9:30 a.m. on Saturday on Bowden Road in Rush Township, state police at Stonington said. State police did not release the boy’s name and attempts to reach the Northumberland County coroner were unsuccessful Sunday. The 16-year-old’s death was also found to be an accident, state police said.
Man, 29, dead after “industrial accident” in Providence Village
DENTON COUNTY, Texas — Two people were rescued and one of them has died after what police initially described as “an industrial accident” reported in the 1700 block of Main Street in Providence Village shortly after noon Thursday, Aubrey fire officials said. One of the two rescued was taken to a hospital in critical condition, and the other was taken in stable condition, Aubrey fire chief Eric Schlotter said. Just before 5 p.m., the department posted on Facebook that one of the victims “did not survive his injuries.” The medical examiner identified him as 29-year-old Jesus Perez Vasquez. Two workers for Acadia were contracted to make improvements to connecting a new water pipeline to their elevated tower in Providence Village, according to Upper Trinity River Regional Water Services.
Firefighter dies while responding to blaze in Plainfield, N.J.
PLAINFIELD, N.J. – A Plainfield firefighter died responding to a house fire Friday. Firefighter Marques Hudson, 32, is being remembered as a hero and dedicated public servant who devoted his life to serving others. He joined the Plainfield Fire Department less than two years ago, and Friday morning was his final call to duty. Hudson arrived to battle the house fire at 332 Emerson Ave. at 8 a.m., and within 30 minutes, the call came in that he was injured. “He either fell through the floor or fell down the stairs, and we don’t know the circumstances at this time . There was a mayday that went out, and once that happened, four firefighters went in and got him out within anywhere from two to four minutes,” Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp said. Hudson was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors worked on him for over an hour, but their best effort couldn’t save him.
State trooper dies after he’s hit during traffic stop on interstate
Birch Run, MI — A Michigan state trooper was killed after he was struck by a vehicle while conducting a traffic stop on the interstate, Michigan State Police say. Trooper Joel Popp, 39, was hit by a car on the interstate near Birch Run after he pulled over a vehicle in a curved lane, police say. The 81-year-old driver hit Popp, who was outside his vehicle, and two patrol cars, troopers say. The trooper was immediately taken to the hospital on Jan. 24 where he died of his injuries, according to police. The driver also suffered serious injuries, according to a news release, but is expected to survive.
Worker killed in stabbing at local restaurant in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Police are investigating a fatal stabbing that happened at the restaurant Golden Pride. One worker was hurt at the location at 1830 Lomas Boulevard NE. A fight happened that led to a co-worker stabbing another during a fight at the restaurant, according to police. Ethan Sheppard, 37, was arrested and charged with murder. The victim was transported to a hospital and died, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. Officers responded around 1:45 p.m., Friday afternoon.
WA WDFW employee dies while working at Jefferson County fish trap
Jefferson County, WA — A Department of Fish and Wildlife employee died this week while working on a fish trap in the Duckabush River in Jefferson County. Mary Valentine, a seasonal scientific technician with the department’s fish program’s science division, was working a smolt trap on Tuesday. She did not check in with her team members that evening, the department said online. She was reported missing to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday morning, who responded to the scene with department officers. Responders recovered Valentine’s body from the water.
Semi truck driver killed in Starr County crash and diesel spill
La Gloria, TX — The Texas Department of Public Safety reported a fatal semi truck crash around midnight Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024. Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating a one-vehicle semi-trailer crash that left a Donna man dead around midnight Wednesday. Nearly 4,000 gallons of diesel had spilled from the semi as a result, authorities said. The 2011 Kenworth truck tractor-trailer was traveling westbound on FM 1017 when the driver, later identified as Donna resident Juan Carlos Mendoza Jr., 36, disregarded a stop sign causing it to crash into a fence and tree. They prevented the semi from crashing into a residence, according to the release. Mendoza Jr. died at the scene due to his injuries.
NYS Parks worker dies, Hochul directs flags to half-staff in his honor
NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — On Tuesday, we learned that a New York State Parks employee was killed on the job on Jan. 17, in Niagara County. Aaron Peters worked as a member of the regional ropes access team and sawyer crew for the past three years. He was killed last Wednesday while working on tree removal at Golden Hill State Park. “Aaron Peters’ tragic death reminds us that New York State employees often put themselves in harm’s way while working to improve the safety of their fellow citizens and colleagues,” Governor Hochul said. “He will not be forgotten by his friends and family, and my heart goes out to all of those whose lives he touched.”
Semi-truck driver killed in fiery I-64 East crash identified as 61-year-old man
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – The identity of the man killed in a fiery wreck that shut down I-64 East for nearly 20 hours has been released. Danny Lee Goodman, 61, died at the scene. He was one of the semi-truck drivers involved in the crash near Cochran Hill Tunnel. The crash happened early Wednesday morning around 5:30 a.m. and involved multiple vehicles, including two semi trucks, a garbage truck, and two cars. The only information released about the crash was that all the vehicles were all headed east when they crashed into each other, causing a large fire. Police are still not sure what led to the deadly crash.
3 Men Die When Medical Helicopter Crashes into Oklahoma Field After Transporting Patient
Weatherford, OK — Three people are dead, including two former members of the United States military, after a medical helicopter crashed in Oklahoma. Air Evac Lifeteam said its Operations Control Center “lost contact” with the Bell 206L3 with call sign N295AE at 11:23 p.m. local time on Saturday, according to a statement from the company. The crew, which was based out of Weatherford, “was returning to base after completing a patient care transport in Oklahoma City” when contact was lost, AEL said. AEL has identified the victims as pilot Russell Haslam, flight nurse Adam Tebben and medic Steven Fitzgerald.
Fuel Truck Careens Off Ohio Overpass And Bursts Into Flames, Killing Driver In Intense Video
Macedonia, OH — An Ohio highway was closed Saturday after a fuel tanker truck lost control, careening off an overpass and exploding, leaving the driver dead. The crash occurred around 9:15 a.m. in Macedonia, a city about 23 miles from Cleveland, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said. The tanker truck had been traveling northbound on State Route 8 when the driver lost control as they tried to enter the Interstate 271 ramp. The truck flew off the bridge and burst into flames when it landed on Route 8, a main roadway. The crash killed the driver, 31 year-old Jason Stevens, the sheriff’s office said. Shocking video shows a fireball on the roadway and thick black smoke pluming from the crash. A stream of water from firefighters can be seen trying to calm the blaze.
Truck driver killed near Deming after road closed for power line maintenance
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A truck driver was killed after he rear-ended another truck on Friday, Jan. 26 west of Deming, New Mexico, when Interstate 10 was temporarily shut down for power line maintenance, New Mexico State Police said. The crash happened at about 1 p.m. Friday west of Deming, New Mexico State Police said. The initial investigation shows a 2021 Volvo commercial truck driven by Chunnan Huang, age 58 of Buena Park, California, was traveling westbound on Interstate 10 near mile marker 59. For reasons still under investigation, the Volvo truck failed to reduce its speed and rear-ended another commercial truck that was stopped. Huang was pronounced dead on the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator.