How workers died last week. Killed in highway construction, crushed by animal feed and concrete block, forklift incidents, crushed by bulldozer, vehicle incidents, shootings. 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.
3 highway workers dead after they were hit by SUV traveling at ‘very high rate of speed’
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM/Gray News) – A 29-year-old Massachusetts man was arraigned after he was charged with an early-morning crash that killed three people on Interstate 91 on Friday. Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said a crew was working to repair damaged guardrails along I-91 north when, at around 12:45 a.m., an SUV took the exit at “a very high rate of speed” and struck the three men, who worked for Premier Fencing Company, of Canton. The SUV then flipped over and came to a rest in the middle of the exit ramp. Local and state investigators learned that the driver got out of the SUV and fled after the crash. After searching by air and on the ground, the driver was located and “a chase ensued,” Gulluni explained. The suspect was eventually surrounded by law enforcement and taken into custody near Morgan Road in West Springfield. The three workers who were killed have been identified as Igor Costa, of Marlborough, Ryan Almeida, of Brockton, and Raul Bohorquez, of Brockton. Gulluni said all three men were pronounced dead at the scene.
Worker dies at Vergennes animal feed company
VERGENNES, Vt. – Authorities are investigating after a worker died at a Vergennes animal feed business Wednesday evening. It happened at Feed Commodities on Meigs Road just before 5:30 p.m. Vergennes Police say a woman, who has not been identified, was operating a forklift carrying animal feed and that when she got off to repair a torn bag, a 1,000-pound bag fell, trapping her. She died at the scene. The medical examiner later ruled her cause of death as asphyxia. There was no immediate word from the Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration on the fatal workplace accident.
Construction worker dies after being hit by truck while fleeing damaged power line in Cary
CARY, N.C. (WNCN) — A construction worker died after being hit by a truck in Cary Thursday afternoon while trying to avoid a damaged power line, police said. According to the Cary Police Department, a dump truck hit overhead power lines just before 3 p.m. on Old Apex Road and Cary Parkway while the driver was dumping construction materials. The power line pole snapped and the transformer broke, throwing sparks into the ground. The damaged power line caused a worker from the on-site TeraFlex Group construction team to run into the street, where he was hit by a flatbed truck driving through the work zone. The worker died from his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital, according to Cary police. Police said the incident was ruled a workplace accident. The identity of the victim has not been released as of Thursday night.
City employee dies in landfill accident
Springfield, MO — A city of Springfield employee died yesterday in an accident at the Noble Hill Sanitary Landfill. Larry Flett, 62, was killed when a dump truck he was driving turned over and caught fire, according to a news release. Flett worked as a solid waste operations associate at the landfill for nearly two years and as an officer for the Springfield Police Department 1989-1998. “This is a tragic day for the city of Springfield. We are deeply saddened by this death of one of our own and send our sympathies to the Larry Flett family and co-workers,” interim City Manager Collin Quigley said in the release. “He was an integral part of our team, and his loss will be felt. He was a dedicated and loyal public servant.” Flett also was memorialized at Monday night’s Springfield City Council meeting. The Noble Hill Sanitary Landfill, 3545 W. Farm Road 34, was temporarily shut down after the accident on Monday morning and is expected to remain closed through Wednesday, according to the release. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, which oversees the landfill, intends to conduct an internal review of the accident.
Worker killed at former Black Creek Girl Scout camp
MIDDLEBURG, FL – A dump truck driver at a 207-acre construction site for a recreation vehicle park at the former North Fork Girl Scout Camp was crushed to death Thursday, March 27. A bulldozer driver didn’t see the man standing behind his truck and pinned him between the heavy equipment vehicles. The Florida Highway Patrol didn’t identify the 45-year-old man from Jacksonville, but the agency said he died at the scene. According to FHP’s release, the truck driver had released his load and stood behind his truck. The FHP said the bulldozer operator didn’t see the truck and backed it into it, trapping the truck driver between the two vehicles.
Worker dies in accident at Santee Cooper’s Winyah Generating Station
Georgetown, SC — An accident at Santee Cooper’s Winyah Generating Station in Georgetown has claimed a life. This morning, emergency workers were dispatched to the scene after the worker was killed in an accident involving his work truck. Georgetown County Coroner Chase Ridgeway – after proper family notification – identified the worker as Billy Whitnauer. According to the SC Highway Patrol, Whitnaer left his truck unattended and in drive when he got out to go use the portable toilet. The truck then rolled forward and collided with the restroom. Ridgeway said an autopsy will be performed. Santee Cooper Safety and OSHA will be investigating. In a statement confirming the accident, a Santee Cooper spokesperson said Whitnauuer was a truck driver working for a contracted firm. He was engaged to get married in April.
Caltrans contractor, father of 2, killed in construction zone
Buena Park, CA — A family is facing the unimaginable after their loved one, an experienced Caltrans contract worker, was killed by a motorist at a construction site on a Southern California freeway late last week. The tragic incident unfolded in the westbound lanes of the 91 Freeway just before 4 a.m. in Buena Park, according to officials with the California Highway Patrol. The exact details of the crash are under investigation, but officials said that a 22-year-old man behind the wheel of a 2020 Dodge Ram pickup truck struck 45-year-old Jose Mantecon, a resident of Corona. The young man remained at the scene and performed CPR on the victim until paramedics arrived and rushed the 45-year-old husband, devoted father and cherished friend to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Adelanto Man Dies in Work-Related Accident
ADELANTO, Calif. — Family and friends are mourning the sudden loss of Israel Garcia Chacon, a devoted father and Adelanto resident who tragically passed away following a workplace accident. Chacon, 43, worked as a forklift mechanic and suffered fatal blunt trauma injuries at an industrial building in Los Angeles County. The accident occurred on March 18, 2025, according to the county coroner’s office. Loved ones describe Chacon as a kind-hearted man with an infectious smile and a deep love for his family and community.
Tennessee lineman dies after struck in Talladega
TALLADEGA, Ala. — A lineman in Talladega died after a vehicle struck him March 16. According to the Talladega Police Department, Thomas Ferrell, 49, of Cottonwood, Tennessee, was walking across Ashland Highway when he was hit by a Nissan pickup truck. The crash happened around 7:30 p.m. Ferrell was pronounced dead Tuesday. Florence police officer and bystander shot, suspect killed in shootout on Highway 72. Miguel Manzana-Martinez, 45, was arrested and charged with manslaughter. He’s being held at the Talladega County Jail on a $50,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing.
LG Energy worker killed by forklift at battery plant in Georgia
Bryan County, GA – A worker was killed in a forklift accident at LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor’s joint battery plant in Georgia. The incident occurred at 4:45 p.m. Friday at the plant in Bryan County after a forklift struck the worker. The case is still under investigation. It’s the second causality at Hyundai’s Georgia plant after a 34-year-old died after falling from a structure at the site in April 2023.
Man dies after forklift accident in Kentucky
FAIRVIEW, Ky. (WSMV) – A man has died after a forklift accident in Kentucky, according to WKDZ Radio. WKDZ reports Todd County emergency personnel responded to a forklift accident on Roger Q. Mill Road in Fairview Thursday morning. The victim, 23-year-old Jonas Martin, was reportedly severely injured in the incident. He was flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville for his injuries. Martin reportedly died from his injuries at the hospital on Friday, WKDZ said
Drew Midford Killed in Work Accident in Wethersfield, CT
Wethersfield, CT — A man was killed following a workplace accident that occurred at around 8:14 P.M. off of Silas Deane Hwy. An investigation is underway following a workplace accident that left one person dead during the evening hours of March 26th. According to official reports, Drew Midford was working at an engine repair shop off of Silas Deane Highway when he reportedly became trapped between a truck frame, the cause of which remains unknown. When emergency personnel arrived on the scene they found that Midford had suffered fatal injuries and he was pronounced deceased.
Yosemite National Park worker found with severe injuries in employee housing unit dies
Yosemite, CA — A woman has died after being found with severe injuries at Yosemite National Park last Thursday, the National Park Service said. NPS, in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday said it “is investigating the death of a woman who was found injured March 20 at concessioner housing in Yosemite Valley.” The deceased, a 34-year-old woman from Fresno, California, was found with severe injuries by law enforcement rangers and rescue personnel, who responded to reports of a medical emergency in the employee housing unit. She was transported to a hospital in Fresno, where she died of her injuries the next day, according to the statement. While NPS did not identify the woman, the statement said she was an employee of Yosemite Hospitality.
Veteran California police officer killed in shootout during transnational drug ring takedown
Yuba County, CA –An Army veteran police officer was killed in a shootout during an operational crackdown on transnational drug trafficking organizations infiltrating illicit drugs into the United States, California officials said Wednesday. Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry said in a Wednesday afternoon press conference that multiple law enforcement agencies launched 20 search warrants across Yuba, Sutter, Tehama and Butte counties as a result of a multi-year investigation into the trafficking of methamphetamines and fentanyl. The gunman was shot and killed, Anderson said. A second individual was inside the house, and is being considered a witness at this time, Curry said. The sheriff said the gunman died at the scene, and there was another person inside the house who DA Curry said is being considered a witness at this time. During the news conference, Marysville Police Chief Christian Sachs did not identify the officer killed, saying that the department will take Wednesday to honor and mourn him.
Nursing home employee killed in parking lot during apparent murder-suicide
JACKSON, Miss. – A domestic dispute at a Jackson nursing home left one woman and her shooter dead. According to Jackson Police, the murder-suicide occurred around midnight Friday at Pine Forest Health and Rehabilitation. Family says it happened around 10:30 p.m. Destiny Karee Stewart, 27, was shot once in the head in the parking lot of the nursing home. Police said 29-year-old Samuel Coleman argued with Stewart before opening fire. He then went to his car and shot himself. Stewart was a Certified Nursing Assistant at the facility. No one inside the facility was harmed. Stewart and Coleman were transported to a local hospital, where they were taken off life support Saturday. “Whatever the situation was, if she wanted to move on with life or she wanted to end the relationship with him, that should have been the end of it,” said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade. “It should not have been a situation where you’ve got to take her life and then take your life, because now both families are destroyed forever here in the City of Jackson.”
67-year-old truck driver killed in rollover crash on I-85 in Montgomery
Montgomery, AL — A Mississippi truck driver was killed when his 18-wheeler overturned on an interstate in Montgomery. Police identified the victim as Johnnie Crenshaw. He was 67 and lived in Pascagoula. The wreck happened at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 85 southbound near Ann Street. No other vehicles were involved, said police Sgt. Tina McGriff. Crenshaw was pronounced dead on the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
Arizona truck driver killed in Macon County crash
COLUMBIA, Mo. — A 61-year-old truck driver from Golden Valley, Arizona, was killed in a crash Wednesday on Highway 156 in Macon County, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The report says that the driver of the 2023 Freightliner overcorrected after it went off the right side of the road while going eastbound on the highway. The truck then went off the left side of the road and overturned, the report says. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by the Macon County coroner, the report says. MSHP reports do not name the victims in crashes. The report says the victim was not wearing a seatbelt.
Security guard killed in triple shooting outside bar in West Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Police are investigating a deadly triple shooting outside a bar in West Philadelphia. It happened outside Deja Vu Bar in the 5300 block of Arch Street, just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Police believe it started as an argument between a security guard and the gunman. The 30-year-old guard was rushed to the hospital, where he later died. The two other victims, a 35-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, are in stable condition.
‘He looked out for us’: Community mourns Rochester store employee fatally shot
Rochester N.Y. (WHAM) — A Rochester man is facing murder charges after police said he fatally shot a worker at a corner store over the weekend. Community members are demanding justice. Police said Ali Saleh, 30, was working at Sana’a Food Market at the corner of Clifford Avenue and Miller Street on Sunday when Tony Brown, 42, entered and shot him. Saleh was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Strong Memorial Hospital. Investigators believe the killing was in retaliation for an altercation at the store several days prior involving an associate of Saleh.
Semi-truck driver killed in crash on I-94 in Berrien County
BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. (WNDU) – A semi-truck driver is dead after crashing into another semi-truck on I-94 in Berrien County late Monday afternoon. The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes just north of the Indiana state line. Police say an eastbound semi-truck crossed the cable barriers and crashed into a westbound semi-truck. The impact caused the driver of the eastbound semi, 45-year-old Jeffrey O’Neal of Livonia, to be ejected, along with the driver’s seat. O’Neal was reportedly found on the road unresponsive and suffering from major trauma. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other semi, an Illinois man, was not injured in the crash.
Deputy struck, killed while deploying spike strips during car chase
SLIDELL, La. (WVUE/Gray News) – Two more 17-year-olds are facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of a Louisiana law enforcement officer who was fatally struck during a vehicle pursuit. Sgt. Grant Candies was identified as the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy who was struck and killed by a fleeing suspect while attempting to deploy spike strips early Sunday morning, the agency said. Candies, 37, was a nine-year veteran of the sheriff’s office and a former U.S. Marine. He was named Deputy of the Year in 2023 and was the son of a longtime St. Charles Parish deputy. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.
Fatal shooting at Milwaukee gas station
MILWAUKEE, WI- – Milwaukee Police are searching for whoever shot and killed a gas station worker this weekend. A 47-year-old was shot and killed at a Milwaukee gas station on Saturday night, March 29, 2025. The victim was working at Gig’s Petro Pantry at 23rd and Fond du Lac. The co-worker said it started when a group of young people stared taking things off the shelves, and then shot the victim as he was picking things up. His co-worker says a group of young people are connected to the city’s latest homicide. “I don’t get it. I don’t get it,” said Joseph Appiah. The bullet-proof glass Joseph Appiah stands behind Sunday morning can’t block the sadness felt throughout the store. “I’m so sad. So so sad. Because this guy was so cool, calm,” Appiah added.