How workers died last week: Electrocutions, explosions, falls, shootings, crushed in compacter, killed in vehicle incidents. 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.
Man dies after falling into 20-foot-deep structure container in Tomball
Tomball, TX — An employee died after falling into a 20-foot-deep structure container Monday morning, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. The deadly accident happened at a work site on Kuykendahl Road near Pine Cone Ranch Road in Tomball in northwest Harris County. From Air 11, we could see at least two large round and deep containers on the site. We’re working to learn more about the business. Pct. 4 said the man was confirmed dead at the scene by EMS.
Explosion in Midland County kills one
MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) – According to the Midland County Department of Emergency Management crews responded to an industrial accident at 1900 West County Road 137. Emergency Management says that a man was doing metal work on top of a vacuum trailer which was not properly ventilated and caused an explosion that killed him. No other injuries were reported and Midland County Sheriff’s and Midland County Emergency Management will be investigating this incident.
Arborist dies after being electrocuted on the job in Alexandria
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — An arborist died Saturday morning after being electrocuted on the job in Alexandria. Alexandria Fire and Police Departments responded to reports of an apparent electrocution on West Mount Ida Avenue in the Del Ray area at 10:09 a.m., where they located the unresponsive arborist. Officials say he was trimming a tree when a branch made contact with a live power line and electrocuted him. He was pronounced dead on site and detectives are working to notify next of kin. Details regarding his identity have not been made public. The city of Alexandria says Dominion Power assisted in clearing the electrical hazard.
19-year NYC Sanitation vet killed while working in Queens
Queens, NY — A New York City Sanitation worker died after he was run over by a garbage truck while working on Saturday evening, according to officials and sources. Richard Errico, a 19-year veteran of the department, was killed outside of the DSNY garage for Districts 11 and 13 in Douglaston, grisly photos from the scene show. Sources told The Post Errico fell out of a truck and was then run over. The sanitation worker had been with DSNY for 19 years. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who were seen walking around the scene together Saturday night, confirmed Errico had died.
Man, 27, killed in explosion at N.H. mulch company
Weare, NH — A 27-year-old New Hampshire man was killed Wednesday in an explosion at a mulch supply company where he worked. Zachary Spooner of Windsor, N.H., was killed in the blast, which happened around 2 p.m. at Haynes Mulch, located at 21 B and B Lane in Weare, according to local police. “Upon arrival, it was apparent the incident occurred inside a building and one deceased victim was discovered on site,” Weare police said in a news release. The New Hampshire State Medical Examiner identified Spooner as the victim on Thursday. The office determined the cause of death was an accident by blunt force injury. The New Hampshire Union Leader reported that Spooner was an employee at the company and a father to a 1-year-old child.
Man dies after industrial accident at Deerfield Beach business, authorities say
DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – A man died after an industrial accident at a pharmaceutical business in Deerfield Beach, according to authorities. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue units responded to the business on Thursday afternoon at 1020 Northwest Sixth Street after a piece of industrial equipment fell on the man, trapping him underneath. BSO said that co-workers used a forklift to free him before he was rushed to Broward Health North in critical condition. BSO later confirmed the man died at the hospital. Homicide detectives are investigating, but no foul play is suspected, according to BSO. The man’s age has not been released but BSO said that he is believed to be in his 30s or 40s.
Tree trimmer dies from electrocution in Overland Park
Overland Park, MN — A tree trimmer died from electrocution Friday in Overland Park. Johnson County MED-ACT and the Overland Park Fire Department arrived at 12900 Connell at 2:14 p.m. to find a 30-year-old man in cardiac arrest, suspended about 10 feet off the ground in a harness. The Overland Park Fire Department rescued the man, and MED-ACT and the fire department attempted resuscitation, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kentucky Judge Killed in Chambers After Fight With Sheriff (1)
Whitesburg, Ky. — District Judge Kevin Mullins was found with gunshot wounds just after 3 p.m. EST and soon died after officers attempted life saving measures, a representative with the Kentucky State Police said in a press conference. Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines was arrested on suspicion of the fatal shooting, according to the state police. The shooting followed an argument between Stines and Mullins in the courthouse. The shooting happened at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, Ky., Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said in a post on X, confirming the judge’s death.
Worker Killed in Tragic Landscaping Accident in Franklin, TN
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN – A 37-year-old worker was killed Thursday morning while operating machinery about 30-minutes west of Murfreesboro in a Franklin neighborhood. The incident occurred in the Stream Valley neighborhood just after 9:40 a.m. The neighborhood of where the incident occurred is near I-840 and I-65. According to the preliminary investigation, the male victim sustained fatal injuries while using landscaping equipment. The circumstances appear to be accidental. The victim’s identity is being withheld until next of kin is notified. The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) has been notified.
Man killed in compactor incident at Cottrell Paper, police say
Saratoga County, NY — A 42-year-old employee of Cottrell Paper in the Town of Milton was killed when he became trapped in a compactor, according to police. The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office responded to an industrial accident at Cottrell Paper on Rock City Road in Milton just after noon, at 12:21 p.m. Anthony T. Smith Jr., 42, of Milton, was trapped in a compactor when they arrived, according to police. Members of the company as well as the Rock City Falls Fire Department and Community EMS extricated him, but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the Saratoga County Coroner. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted on the scene by the State Police and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Connecticut landscaper dies after tree tumbled in an ‘unintended direction’ on top of him
Cheshire, CT — A landscaper in Connecticut died on Monday after a tree fell on him when it tumbled in an “unintended direction,” according to local police. Timothy Healy, 50, was caught under the felled tree when Cheshire police and emergency responders arrived at the scene that afternoon, the department said in a news release obtained by USA TODAY. Cheshire is located about 28 miles south of Hartford, Connecticut’s captial city. Healy, of Naugatuck, Connecticut, was taken to a hospital but eventually died from his injuries, according to police.
Employee killed at Port of Houston in material collapse, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo says
Houston, TX — An employee at the Port of Houston was killed Wednesday after being struck by collapsing material, according to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. The employee, who worked for a steel imports company called AllTrans Terminal Companies, has not been identified. Hidalgo said there is no active threat to public safety, and that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting an investigation to determine if there was any wrongdoing in the incident.
Victim identified in deadly asphalt plant accident
LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — One man is dead after a workplace accident at a quarry in Luzerne County. Emergency crews responded to American Asphalt in Jackson Township near Shavertown around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday for a report of an industrial incident. Police say an employee, later identified as David Brace, 68, was struck and killed by a heavy machinery vehicle.
Road construction worker killed in Beadle County crash
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A 44-year-old road construction worker was killed in a crash two miles east of Wessington on U.S. Highway 14 Tuesday afternoon. According to a news release from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, the crash happened at 12:55 p.m. involving two vehicles and a woman construction flagger. Officials say the flagger was directing westbound traffic to slow down and stop when a pickup truck stopped as directed before getting hit by a driver of another truck traveling the same direction. The larger truck collided with the pickup truck first, then struck the woman working as a flagger. Construction flagger Sandra Guerra Ceballos, 44, was at the construction scene directing westbound traffic to slow down and stop, which the man driving the truck had stopped as directed.
Firefighter-paramedic dies after suffering medical emergency during training exercise, officials say
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) – A Kansas City Fire Department firefighter-paramedic died Tuesday after a training exercise, according to officials. The Kansas City Fire Department said the department member experienced a medical emergency during the training exercise. He was taken to a hospital where he died around 1 p.m. The man has not yet been identified, but officials said he was a 10-year veteran of the department. The firefighter and paramedic who died following a training exercise on Tuesday has been identified as Kyle Brinker, 33. The fire department said Brinker was part of the Rescue Division at Station 35, which is one of the busiest areas of Kansas City, Missouri.
Maintenance worker found dead inside N.J. high school
Camden, NJ — A South Jersey charter school was closed Wednesday after a worker was found dead in the building as faculty arrived ahead of the school day, according to authorities. The body was that of a woman maintenance worker at the Mastery High School on Erie Street in Camden, Camden County police said Wednesday. Her body was discovered in the hallway around 7 a.m., police said. Her death is not considered suspicious. The woman’s name and age were not released because of an active investigation into her death, authorities said.
23-Year-Old Truck Driver Killed in I-80 Rollover Near Wamsutter
Wamsutter, WY — A 23-year-old truck driver from New York was killed in a crash on I-80. The crash happened in Sweetwater County at milepost 181.4. According to a preliminary crash summary from Wyoming Highway Patrol, Baljot Singh was in a Freightliner tractor trailer combination unit headed east on I-80 when the truck drifted from the right to the left lane. The driver reportedly overcorrected his steering and crossed the road to the right; the truck tripped and rolled 1/4 of a time, coming to rest on its left side facing south, blocking the right-hand lane of the interstate. The patrol lists driver fatigue or sleep as a possible contributing factor. Singh is the 71st reported fatality on Wyoming highways so far this year compared to 105 at the same time last year.
Ky. deputy shot, killed by fleeing suspect
RUSSELL COUNTY, Ky. — A Russell County sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed while searching for a suspect Monday evening. Deputy Sheriff Joshua Phipps was helping Kentucky State Police and other agencies search on foot for the suspect around 5:30 p.m. at Bluebird Drive. Gunfire broke out when they found him, and Phipps was shot, authorities said. Phipps died later at Russell County Hospital in Russell Springs. The suspect also died in the shooting.
Worker dies in crash at Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds plant in Lost Hills
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Wonderful Company released a statement following a crash that killed one of their employees at their Lost Hills plant Monday night. The crash, between a vehicle and a truck, was reported around 6 p.m. at the Wonder Pistachios & Almonds facility on Highway 33 near Hanawalt Avenue. A worker, identified by the company as Jose Lopez, was killed in the crash.
Truck driver dies in accident at Missouri pork plant
ST. JOSEPH, MO. — Multiple local reports confirmed that there was a traffic-related fatality that occurred at the Triumph Foods pork processing plant on Sept. 13. A statement from the St. Joseph Police Department said that it received a call about an accident in the facility’s fenced-in area. According to a report by the police, Aaron Ruelas was accidentally backed over by a “shag truck” that belonged to the company. Ruelas was driving a truck for Edward Transportation and picking up a semi-truck at the plant. The driver of the shag truck was cooperative and provided the police with a breath sample and blood sample. The police said he showed no signs of intoxication and was not arrested.
Employee killed in shooting at hotel in Springdale
SPRINGDALE, Ohio — A man killed in a shooting at a La Quinta Hotel in Springdale was an employee of the hotel, Springdale Police said. Officers responded to a report of shots fired at 7:19 a.m. to the La Quinta Hotel on Springfield Pike in Springdale. A man was found dead in the lobby of the hotel. Police identified the man as 27-year-old Umedjon R. Mavlonkulov. Police said Mavlonkulov was an employee of the hotel and was working at the time of the shooting. No details of the suspect have been released at this time.
Mass. police recruit dies after ‘medical crisis’ during defensive tactics training
NEW BRAINTREE, Mass. — A Massachusetts State Police recruit died a day after he became unresponsive and suffered a “medical crisis” during a defensive tactics training exercise, authorities said.
Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, died at a hospital on Friday, a day after the exercise at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in New Braintree, department spokesperson Tim McGuirk said in a statement Friday night. New Braintree is about 80 miles (129 kilometers) northeast of Boston. McGuirk said the academy’s on-site medical team responded immediately after Delgado-Garcia became unresponsive. They determined that he required urgent medical care and took him to the hospital, where he died. Delgado-Garcia’s mother told reporters with NBC10 Boston and Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra that he was hit and injured.
Suspects wanted for shooting, killing employee at Prince George’s tire shop
Prince Georges County, MD — Prince George’s police are searching for two men in the killing of a tire shop employee. News4’s Darcy Spencer reports the victim had been working in the U.S. for a few months to provide for his family overseas. Two men are wanted for fatally shooting an employee of a tire shop in Capitol Heights, Maryland, police say. Prince George’s County police said the suspects shot 41-year-old Anthony Okoye inside the Ameritech Tire shop on Marblewood Avenue about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. The men then took off in a dark-colored Mercedes sedan, police said. Officers found Okoye suffering from gunshot wounds and he died a short time later at a hospital. The business owner told News4 he believes the men involved were customers who had work done but didn’t want to pay.
Suspect arrested after shooting leaves 1 construction worker dead in east Phoenix
PHOENIX, AZ — Police say a suspect is in custody for allegedly shooting two construction workers, killing one in east Phoenix earlier this month. Phoenix police confirmed 31-year-old Marquea Cato was arrested on Wednesday evening after officers located him near 40th Street and McDowell Road. Around 8 a.m. on Sept. 1, Phoenix police say 48-year-old Alan David Whitworth and 19-year-old Jamal Avery were shot at the construction site near 40th Street and Thomas Road. Whitworth died at the scene from his injuries, and Avery was rushed to the hospital. Phoenix police confirmed 31-year-old Marquea Cato was arrested on Wednesday evening after officers located him near 40th Street and McDowell Road.(Arizona’s Family/Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office) Avery is still fighting for his life, Phoenix police say.
1 worker dead, 1 hurt on I-55 in West Memphis; Corvette driver still at large
WEST MEMPHIS, AR. — A construction worker is dead and another is injured after being hit on Interstate 55 during a police chase in West Memphis on Wednesday night. Arkansas State Police say a suspect in a maroon Corvette drove into construction workers who were working on the I-55 bridge during a high-speed chase from West Memphis into Memphis. One of the workers was killed at the scene. The Crittenden County coroner identified him as Justin Delgado, 36, of Lola, Texas. The other was taken to a Memphis hospital for treatment. ASP said he is in critical condition. The Corvette was found by Memphis police in the 200 block of West McKellar Avenue, fully engulfed in flames. The driver is still at large, ASP said.
Ellwood Forge worker shot several times; Suspect charged with homicide
Ellwood City, OH — A Lawrence County man is facing homicide charges after allegedly fatally shooting a worker at an Ellwood City business Thursday evening. State Police say 31-year-old Timothy Woods of Ellwood City is accused of killing 36-year-old Timothy Bollman of Fombell. The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. inside a building at Ellwood Forge on Commercial Avenue. According to police, Bollman, an employee of Ellwood Forge, was shot multiple times. His body was found on the floor near several 9mm shell casings. Following the shooting, Woods fled the scene. Authorities later located him at a home on Belton Road in North Sewickley Township. A caller reported that Woods was armed and threatening self-harm.
Worker shot dead, suspect hospitalized after fight at Sparks apartment complex
Sparks, NV — One man is dead and another man is hurt and will eventually be booked on murder charges after a disagreement at a Sparks apartment complex on Wednesday afternoon. According to the Sparks Police Department, just before 4:20 p.m. on Sept 18, police received a 911 call reporting a shooting on the 1800 block of E. Street adding the suspect was still inside the apartment. When officers arrived, they found two men suffering from injuries from some sort of fight and a third man who was not hurt. Officers immediately started medical aid on the two men and rushed them to the hospital where one of them later died. Authorities have not identified him. The second man, who was later identified as Yun Kim, was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries and is considered to be in stable condition. Detectives determined two workers were renovating a vacant apartment when they were confronted by Kim. After a brief confrontation, the workers managed to get Kim to leave. However, police say Kim returned a short time later with a gun and began shooting at the two workers — hitting one of them multiple times. Witnesses jumped in to help and we able to keep Kim on scene while police were en route.
Accident claims logger
TILLAMOOK, OR — John B. Whitten, 58, of Tillamook was killed in a tree-falling accident Sept. 28. The Tillamook County 9-1-1 Center received a call at approximately 2:20 p.m., about an industrial accident at Jones Creek and SR 6. Sheriff’s Office deputies and Tillamook Ambulance responded and drove up to the location of the accident. According to the Sheriff’s Office, it was determined that Whitten had died before they arrived at the scene, about 1.6 miles from Gilmore Road and Standard Grade West Road. Whitten had been falling for Fallon Logging of Tillamook, on land operated by Hancock Timber Management. He had been with the company for six years. Investigators determined that Whitten had cut a hemlock and a smaller fir tree that had been hung up on the hemlock spun and struck him.
VTA employee killed in shooting at San Jose facility; authorities investigating as homicide
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — A shooting in San Jose has left a Valley Transportation Authority employee dead. The homicide happened Friday night at VTA’S Chaboya Yard. The victim was a longtime bus driver. For many employees, it’s a triggering event after a mass shooting at VTA on May 26, 2021. The deadly shooting happened Friday around 9:40 p.m. at VTA’S Chaboya Division Yard. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department says it appears to be an isolated incident. A motive is unclear and no arrests have been made, and investigators are following leads.
St. Louis officer dies after being hit by car
ST. LOUIS, MO — A St. Louis police officer hit by a car Sunday morning on Interstate 70 died in surgery Sunday afternoon. The officer was David Lee, an 18-year veteran of the force. Police said they have a suspect in custody. Officer David Lee, an 18-year veteran of the force, died Sunday, Sept. 22 after being struck by a car. “Today is a day of heartbreak in the city of St. Louis,” Mayor Tishaura O. Jones said at a news conference Sunday evening. ”We are devastated,” police Chief Robert Tracy said. Tracy said Lee was called to a one-car crash around 8:30 a.m. Sunday on I-70 near Grand Avenue. The driver in the first crash was an off-duty Ferguson firefighter on her way home. Lee was behind his patrol car retrieving traffic cones when the driver of another vehicle, traveling east, lost control, spun out and ran into him.
Identity revealed of semi-truck driver killed in Barren County crash
GLASGOW, Ky. (WBKO) – One person is dead after a crash in Barren County on Friday morning. Barren County Coroner Tim Gibson has confirmed the victim as 69-year-old Cave City native Michael J. Gibson, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The Barren County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened at 11:37 a.m. in the 7000 block of Edmonton Road, about 6 miles east of Glasgow. A semi-truck and trailer driving eastbound left the left side of the roadway, according to a news release. The vehicle traveled through a ditch and overturned before coming to rest. The driver of the semi-truck was the only occupant and died at the scene. The accident is under investigation.