How workers died last week: Coal mining, railroad incident, forklift, electrocution, scaffolding collapse, vehicle incidents, shootings, stabbing, fires and falls. Four public employees were among those killed on the job. 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.
Wellington city employee killed at power plant
WELLINGTON, Kan. — A City of Wellington electric distribution lineman was killed after coming into contact with an energized piece of equipment. A news release from the City of Wellington said the lineman was a part of a crew performing maintenance on wildlife guarding equipment around 9:20 a.m. at the City’s power plant. Fire and EMS personnel transported the lineman to the hospital. Two other linemen at the site were uninjured. An investigation is ongoing. The City of Wellington said 20 year-old Wilson Price died after coming into contact with an energized piece of equipment around 9:20 a.m. Price joined the Electric Distribution Department at the . City of Wellington as an apprentice in January, and the city said he quickly became a valuable team member.
Driver kills 2 CDOT workers fixing a sign in Mesa County before crashing, killing 1 in the car, officials say
MESA COUNTY, Colo. — A driver hit and killed two Colorado Department of Transportation employees who were working to fix a street sign in Mesa County before crashing the car on Wednesday, according to local authorities and the governor. A person in the car also died, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office said. The crash happened around 10:40 a.m. Wednesday on Front Street/US Highway 6, which closed from 34 Road to 35 Road, according to the sheriff’s office. Trooper Sherri Mendez with Colorado State Patrol (CSP) confirmed three people had died in the crash, including two CDOT workers. The third person was “an occupant” in a Jeep, she said. In a press release published around 2 p.m., CSP said based on their initial investigation, the driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee struck two CDOT employees and a parked CDOT vehicle, causing the Jeep to roll. The CDOT vehicle was parked off the right side of the road, CSP said. In a statement, Gov. Jared Polis said the two CDOT workers were fixing a street sign. One person in the Jeep was transported to a local hospital and a second person in the Jeep died at the scene. Both CDOT workers died at the scene as well, CSP said. In a news release Thursday night, officials identified the three individuals as: Trent Umberger, a CDOT maintainer who was hired in March 2017 and who worked in Grand Junction. He supported the Vail Pass patrol on the I-70 corridor during the winters as part of the joint operations team. Nathan Jones, a CDOT maintainer who was hired in December 2022 and who also worked in Grand Junction. He was in the CDOT Maintenance Apprenticeship Program and was on schedule to be one of the first to complete the program in December 2024. Kathi Ann Wallace, the passenger in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the driver’s spouse, who was from Grand Junction.
Elkhorn school district worker killed at northwest Omaha high school
OMAHA, Neb. – A 50-year-old school district employee was killed Wednesday morning in an incident at a work site near the Elkhorn North High School football field. While the incident remains under investigation, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday evening that Kevin Garrison, a maintenance supervisor with the Elkhorn school district, may have died from asphyxia. “An autopsy is scheduled for this week,” the DCSO release states. Garrison was fatally injured while working at a job site north of the football field at the school, located near 180th Street and West Maple Road. The school district said Garrison, a longtime EPS employee, was working in a geothermal well to resolve an issue at Elkhorn North High School when the incident occurred.
19-year-old killed after construction crane collapses
LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – A 19-year-old was killed after officials said a construction crane collapsed Tuesday in South Carolina. Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said Anibal Sanchez Pelayo died after being struck by the crane on a construction site on Cambria Court. Willard added that Pelayo was living in Galivants Ferry and died of “multiple traumatic injuries.” “Our thoughts and prayers are with the worker involved in the tragic incident at Bridgewater yesterday,” said Pam Catindig, a spokesperson for Chesapeake Homes, which is the neighborhood’s builder.
Postal worker killed in crash in Grenada County
GRENADA COUNTY, Miss. – A Winona woman was killed in a crash on Saturday. The Mississippi Highway Patrol reports two vehicles heading north on Highway 7 collided in Grenada County around 12:30 p.m. The crash fatally injured 53-year-old Loretta Hopkins, a postal worker who was in a Mercedes van, according to the MHP.The MHP report did not mention any other injuries.P
Coal miner killed on the job in West Virginia. The death marks fourth in the state this year
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A coal miner was killed on the job in West Virginia on Friday night, Gov. Jim Justice said. The Republican governor said Gary Chapman, 33, of South Williamson, Kentucky, died after being injured at the Mountaineer II Mine near Sharples, West Virginia. At least eight U.S. coal miners have died on the job in 2024, according to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. Four of them died in West Virginia. The incident is under investigation by the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Union Pacific employee fatally struck by Metra train in Kenosha, officials say
KENOSHA, Wisc. — A Union pacific employee died Wednesday after being hit by a Metra train in southeastern Wisconsin. The crash happened just after noon along the UP-North line in Kenosha, authorities said. It’s unclear how the man was hit by a train. He has been identified as 34-year-old Austin Raysby of Burlington, Wisconsin, Union Pacific said in a statement. No other injuries were reported. Authorities continue to investigate the incident
School Shooter Kills 4
Winder, GA — Two 14-year-old students and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Nine other people — eight students and one teacher — were wounded and hospitalized, all of whom are expected to survive. Authorities have identified the four people killed as students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, both 14, and math teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
Woman dies after tire falls on her at Des Moines Titan International tire plant
Des Moines, IA — A woman died Thursday after a tire landed on her while working at a Des Moines tire plant. The woman, who was not identified, died while working at Titan International Inc.’s plant at 2345 E. Market St., Titan International officials said in a statement Thursday afternoon. The incident happened Thursday morning and first responders were called to the scene, the statement said. Des Moines Police Department officials determined that the worker was killed after a several-hundred-pound tire fell on her, spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek told the Register. Titan is working with police, according to its statement. Officials declined to provide any additional details of the employee, but said the incident is being investigated by the QPS Employment Group and Titan Distribution safety teams. QPS is an employment services company that helps workers find temporary and permanent jobs. The family has identified the worker as Jessica Royce.
Man died after workplace incident at Johnson Press in Pontiac
Pontiac, MI — The death of an employee of a printing press in Pontiac is being called a compression-type death. The Livingston County Coroner said Timothy Legner, 36, was found trapped between a forklift and an industrial-sized roll of printing paper that weighed 3,300 pounds. The roll clamp attached to the front of the forklift trapped Legner up against the roll of paper. He was found by a fellow employee with the roll clamp pressing against his back, shortly after it happened. The roll of paper was being taken to the roll carriage to be loaded in the printing press. The death continues to be investigated by Pontiac Police, the coroner’s office and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
North Carolina Amtrak train hits D.H. Griffin forklift in deadly crash in Greensboro
GREENSBORO, NC — A man has died after a Triad train crash turned deadly, according to officials with the Greensboro Police Department. On Wednesday, around 8:30 a.m., officers responded to a train accident at the railroad crossing in the 4700 block of Hilltop Road. Officials said an Amtrak passenger train was traveling northbound. A JGL telescoping boom lift was being operated by Margarito-Alfonso-Cruz with D.H. Griffin and was traveling across the crossing. As the lift was about halfway across the tracks, the crossing lights and stop arms were activated as a train was approaching. Officials said Alfonso-Cruz, 51, tried to back up when one of the arms came down on the life. The train then hit the lift at the crossing, and Alfonso-Cruz was killed.
1 dead after partial scaffolding collapse at Miami Beach condo
Miami Beach, FL — One person has died after a partial collapse of scaffolding at an oceanfront condo on Miami Beach on Tuesday. NBC6’s Niko Clemmons reports. One person has died after a partial collapse of scaffolding at an oceanfront condo on Miami Beach on Tuesday. The incident happened at the Villa Di Mare building at 5801 Collins Avenue, where Miami Beach Police and fire rescue crews responded. City officials said one person was taken from the scene to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition. The person later died, fire rescue officials said. Officials haven’t released their identities or given any other details. Police are investigating the incident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA arrived at the condo Tuesday afternoon to start investigating. NBC6 reached out to the general contractor of the project for comment. The Hispanic immigrant who tragically lost his life last Tuesday in a scaffold collapse has been identified as Bryan Orozco, a 25-year-old from Nicaragua. Orozco had arrived in the United States just a few months ago, with the hope of providing a better future for his wife and young children who remain in Central America, according to Telemundo 51.
Painter dies after falling through skylight in Peru
LASALLE COUNTY, IL – A Bureau County man has died from injuries he suffered when falling through a skylight last weekend. A release from LaSalle County Coroner Richard Ploch said Willilam Kozeal, 59, of Van Orin was painting a building on Terminal Road in Peru when he fell through the skylight on Saturday morning, Aug. 31. The release does not say how far Kozeal fell before hitting the ground. The coroner’s office, Peru Police, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.
Ga. battalion chief killed in an explosion during vehicle fire
GREENE COUNTY, Ga. — Firefighters from Greene County are grieving the loss of one of their own, killed in an explosion during a vehicle fire. Greene County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Eddy was killed in the blast on Sept. 4, during a truck fire near Georgia Route 15 outside Greensboro, the Union-Recorder reported. Condolences flooded social media as friends remembered Eddy, described as a respected veteran firefighter known for his serious dedication and lighthearted humor. Eddy’s death is under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol.
Truck driver killed in fiery crash on Interstate 95 in North Carolina
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The driver of a tractor-trailer was killed Wednesday night in an explosive crash that shut down northbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Cumberland County. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, troopers responded to a single-vehicle collision on I-95 North near mile marker 66 around 7:26 p.m. Troopers say The tractor-trailer involved was heading north in the right lane when the driver lost control, veered to the left across the other northbound lanes and struck the center jersey barrier. As a result of the impact, the fuel tank exploded and caused a fire, highway patrol said. The driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, died on the scene, according to troopers. The driver has not yet been identified.
Truck Accident kills 1, injures 1
McComb, MS — One Amite County solid waste employee was killed an another was injured in a garbage truck accident in Wilkinson County on Monday while returning from hauling refuse to a Natchez landfill. The accident occurred around 9:15 a.m. on Highway 563 and killed Lahontan Chapman, 35, of Gloster, who was driving the 2014 Freightliner roll-off garbage truck was killed.
Worker ID’d In Fatal Loading Dock Accident, Company Assisting Police
ALSIP, IL — A worker who was fatally struck by a truck earlier this week at an Alsip trucking company has been identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner as 32-year-old Falah Hadi. Hadi was guiding a semi-trailer into the loading dock Tuesday morning at Menasha Packaging Company, 11601 Central Ave., Alsip. The man became caught between a parked truck as the semi-trailer was backing up, Chief Jay Miller, of the Alsip Police Department told Patch. The man was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died of his injuries later in the afternoon.
2 Killed After Plane Nosedives, Crashes In Paulding Co.
ROCKMART, GA — A flight instructor and a student were killed Wednesday after authorities said a small plane nosedived in a wooded area in Rockmart in unincorporated Paulding County. The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday authorities responded around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday after the plane’s owner notified them that it had not arrived at its scheduled time. Flight records showed the plane, identified as a 1974 fixed wing single engine aircraft, departed the Paulding County Airport at 10:24 a.m. and was last seen on the flight tracker in the area of Crawford Road about an hour later. The aircraft was tracked to Crawford Road, in a remote part of western Paulding, and authorities said they found two people dead inside of the plane. Authorities identified the deceased as flight instructor Sungwook Lee, 27, of Daytona Beach, Florida, and flight student Johnathan Lara, 27, of Powder Springs.
Firefighter dies while helping neighboring department
BELFRY, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) – A Kentucky community is mourning a firefighter who died on the job. The Belfry Volunteer Fire Department says Darrell Helton, 49, died Wednesday during a mutual aid call. “It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart that we bring the news of the passing of one of our Brothers,” the department said in a Facebook post. According to an incident report, Helton was shuttling water to a structure fire when he told another firefighter that he felt a fluttering in his chest. When he sat down to rest on the truck, he suddenly collapsed. Helton was given CPR and taken to an area hospital, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Cheney man dies from fall after branch breaks during tree-removal job
CHENEY, KS – A Cheney family says they are mourning the loss of their family member who died during an accident at work. According to a GoFundMe, Cody Trask was working to remove trees on August 30 when the branch he was tethered to broke causing him to fall. “When he fell the impact blew out both of his lungs causing his heart to stop and then when the branch came down it crushed his skull. His coworker and friend removed the wreckage and performed CPR on him until an ambulance arrived. Every effort was made to try to save his life but he was pronounced brain dead on Sunday, September 1st 2024,” Nicole Trask, the victim’s sister, shared on GoFundMe.
18-year-old volunteer firefighter dies following house fire in Taylorsville
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A former volunteer firefighter has died following a house fire in Spencer County. According to the Taylor-Spencer County Fire Protection District, crews were called out to the 1000 block of Bloomfield Road around 1:10 a.m. Saturday after reports of eight people trapped inside. When crews arrived several minutes later, they confirmed one person was still inside with heavy fire and smoke emitting from the home. Firefighters got inside and found a teen, later identified as 18-year-old James Nation, deceased. Family members told WHAS11 News that James was a recent graduate of Spencer County High School and previously a volunteer firefighter at the department.
Updates on worker who died in industrial accident
TUPELO, Miss. – We now know the identity of the worker who died as a result of an industrial accident in Tupelo Friday. Lee County Coroner Carolyn Green tells WCBI that 63-year-old Charles McBrayer of Guntown died as the result of severe chest trauma. McBrayer was injured in an accident at TAG Trucking on McCullough Boulevard Friday morning. He was taken to North Mississippi Medical Center but died of his injuries.
1 dead, 2 critically injured after construction lift topples over in West Philadelphia, police say
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Authorities said a man was killed and two were critically injured in an industrial accident after a construction lift toppled over, crushing a utility work van in West Philadelphia Friday afternoon. Philadelphia police said the men fell two stories from the lift, also known as a cherry picker, just before 1 p.m. The accident happened at 44th and Moravian streets. Emergency medical services took two of the men to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, who police said were in critical condition. One of those men, according to police, was 47 years old and was pronounced dead at 12:59 p.m. Police said a third man, who was in extremely critical condition, was taken to Lankenau Medical Center. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Labor told CBS News Philadelphia the employers involved are Vuong HVAC and Smart Builders I, LLC. Adding neither company has a prior Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection history.
OSHA to probe fatal Hempfield tractor accident
Hempfield, PA — Federal workplace safety regulators will investigate the fatal accident that killed a man driving a tractor that overturned into a creek at a Hempfield nursery on Thursday, an agency spokeswoman said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will conduct the investigation into the death of Clifford E. Schweinsburg Jr., 79, of Hempfield, said Joanna Hawkins, an OSHA spokeswoman. Schweinsburg was mowing grass along Township Line Run on the Jason Wilkinson Nursery when the farm tractor fell from the embankment and tumbled into the creek, said Coroner Tim Carson. Westmoreland County 911 said he was pinned by the overturned tractor. The reason for the accident, which was reported about 5:40 p.m., is unknown, Carson said.
Police officer dies after being shot in line of duty while responding to a reported break-in
PHOENI, AZ – A police officer in Arizona has died after he was shot while responding to a vehicle break-in call earlier this week. The Phoenix Police Department confirmed Officer Zane Coolidge died on Friday from his injuries sustained in a shooting on Tuesday. Officer Coolidge had been with the department for five years and leaves behind a wife and baby girl. Tuesday’s shooting happened after Officer Coolidge responded with fellow Officer Matthew Haney to reports of a person, later identified as 41-year-old Saul Bal, breaking into a vehicle near 16th Street and McDowell Road. A chase ensued between the two officers and Bal when they were suddenly shot at, authorities said. Officers Coolidge and Haney were both shot and rushed to Banner University Medical Center.
Construction worker killed in fall at school
Mill Hall, Pa. — A 27-year-old construction worker was killed when he fell from a ladder while working on the roof of a high school, police say. Kyler Keller of Lewistown was climbing a ladder to the roof of Central Mountain High School Friday morning when the accident happened, said Trooper Tim Wright of state police at Lamar. Keller was carrying a five-gallon bucket of sealant while his co-worker held the bottom of the ladder, but when Keller tried to put the bucket on the roof, the ladder slipped, Wright said. The ladder slid across the top of the building, causing Keller to fall to the concrete below. Although life-saving measures were made by school staff until EMS arrived and Keller was taken to UPMC Lock Haven emergency department, Keller succumbed to his injuries.
Woman stabbed to death inside bodywork spa in Flushing, Queens; suspect in custody
QUEENS, NY — Police are investigating a horrific scene in Queens, where a worker was fatally stabbed inside a bodywork spa on Tuesday. Authorities say a man walked into the spa located at 41-39 Kissena Blvd. just after 5:30 p.m. and stabbed a 26-year-old woman multiple times, right in front of customers and workers. The storefront has several Chinese businesses, including a hair salon, which were full of people at the time of the attack. When first responders arrived, they took the victim, identified as Jui Mei Tang, to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where she later died from injuries that included at least one stab wound to her neck.
Dump truck driver killed in Broome County crash
Sanford, NY — A dump truck crashed into a home in Broome County on Friday afternoon and the driver did not survive the accident. According to the New York State Police, the 29-year-old male driver crashed into a house on Old Plank Road in the Town of Sanford at around 3:12 p.m. Police said there were three people inside the home at the time of the crash. A 10-year-old boy was flown to Albany Medical Center for treatment. A woman was treated at the scene for her injuries and another person was not injured during the incident.