How workers died over the past couple of weeks (Part 1): Forklift, skid steer and lawn mower incidents, fall, tornado, shootings, 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 killed at Holly Hill metal plant identified
HOLLY HILL, S.C. — The Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office has released the name of a man who died in an industrial accident on Thursday. Coroner Sean Fogle said the incident happened at DCC Metal Recycling in Holly Hill on April 3. Fogle said that a man was working on a piece of equipment when part of that equipment fell on him, causing a blunt force injury to his chest. Fogle said 23-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez of Orangeburg was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner said his office is working alongside the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to investigate the incident.
Man dead after Lake City workplace incident
LAKE CITY, S.C. (WPDE) — A man died on Saturday morning following a workplace incident, according to Florence County Coroner Keith Von Lutcken. The incident happened at Nan Ya Plastics on East Beulah Road in Lake City. The coroner’s office has identified the man as 64-year-old Marron Shefton from Florence. ABC 15 is told the Florence County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident to provide assistance to the Coroner’s Office.
Windsor forklift operator crushed to death by pallet of wine
WINDSOR, Calif. – A forklift operator at a wine storage facility in Windsor was crushed to death by a pallet of wine Thursday afternoon, authorities said. The incident occurred around 1 p.m. at a wine facility, located in the 1000 block of Shiloh Road, where the victim worked, according to the Windsor Police Department. Wine pallets weighed up to 3,000 pounds. Police Sgt. Jason Little said the victim, 40-year-old Miguel DeJesus Hernandez, was working with pallets in the storage area, and it appears he braced his equipment against a stack of wine bottle pallets, each weighing between 2,100 and 3,000 pounds. Investigators believe the forklift operator got off the forklift to inspect the pallets when one of them fell on top of him, killing the man. Little said no one witnessed the incident, but the Sonoma County Coroner Bureau’s medical examiner will determine the exact cause of death, and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health will be the lead investigators going forward.
Man dies after forklift accident at Laredo dock
LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – A man died after falling off a dock while riding a forklift, police said. The man has been named as 56-year-old Jose Roberto Martinez. The accident happened Thursday evening, April 4, at a warehouse on the 600 block of Union Pacific. Laredo police said Martinez called for help after the forklift landed on his ankle. “So when officers arrived, they asked for the assistance of Laredo Fire paramedics to be able to extract this male victim from underneath the forklift,” said LPD spokesperson Jose Espinoza. Martinez was rushed to the hospital in bad shape. He later died from his injuries. Police are still looking into what caused the accident.
Landscape worker killed when lawnmower flips on top of him in median off I-65 in Homewood
Homewood, AL — A landscape worker was killed Friday afternoon when his riding lawnmower flipped on top of him in a median off Interstate 65. The accident shortly after 1:30 p.m. in the grass median between I-65 northbound and the Oxmoor Road exit. Homewood police Sgt. Mark Trippe said the victim, whose identity has not been released, worked for a private landscaping crew that was hired by the City of Homewood to clean up the area. The portion that was being cut was on the state right of way. Witnesses told police the victim the man was attempting to drive the lawnmower up the embankment when it overturned. Homewood Fire medics pronounced him dead on the scene.
Man dies after crushed by concrete barrier at work site in Commerce
COMMERCE, Calif. (KABC) — A worker who died at an industrial work site in Commerce early Saturday morning was crushed by a concrete barrier, authorities said. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the incident appears to be accidental. First responders were called to the site of Strategic Materials, Inc. on Bandini Boulevard just after midnight after getting a call about the man being stuck under a tractor. The worker was declared dead at the scene.
MO Fire Chief Killed During Tornado Response
Delta, MO — In Cape Girardeau County, Garry Moore, 68, chief of the Whitewater Fire Protection District, was killed in the small town of Delta Wednesday. Moore was among hundreds of firefighters called out to deal with the aftermath of a presumed tornado that tore through the region, the department reported via Facebook. As he was responding to a mutual aid call at about 7 p.m., he observed a car that had run off the road. He stopped to see if he could help, He was later found unconscious at that scene. The exact cause of death is under investigation.
Crash kills 16-year-old firefighter on his way to rescue call
BEAUFORT, Mo. — A 16-year-old firefighter was killed in a crash Friday evening while responding to calls for help. Chevy Gall, a firefighter with the all-volunteer Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District, was on his way to a water rescue call around 4:15 p.m. when the crash happened. The water rescue may have been related to rising waters in the area due to severe weather. Numerous flash flood warnings were issued Friday evening across the area after two to three inches of rain fell quickly. “Firefighter Gall sustained critical injuries and was transported to Mercy Washington Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased,” a social media post from the fire protection district said. “One individual from the other vehicle involved was transported to a nearby hospital. Their condition is currently unknown.” Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District Fire Chief Terry Feth said Gall died while answering the call to help others. “Tonight is a fire chief’s worst nightmare. We are heartbroken by the loss of one of our own,” the fire chief said.
Clay County firefighter dies after early morning crash
CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) – A Clay County firefighter died while responding to a call early Saturday morning. The call came in just after midnight on State Road 42 in Posey Township. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said a vehicle was stranded in water on State Road 42. A second call came in for a crash between County Road 100 E and State Road 59 about 20 minutes later. Dispatch said a vehicle had crashed into a tree. The driver was identified as Roy A. Smith, 60, of Center Point. He’s a Posey Volunteer Fire Department member who is believed to have been responding to the original stranded vehicle call. Smith was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said roadway surface conditions could have contributed to the cause of the crash, but the primary cause is still under investigation.
Warehouse worker dead after co-worker guns him down at Plantation Quail
GREENE COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia warehouse worker is dead after a co-worker shot him to death at work. Several law enforcement agencies were called out the Plantation Quail on Greensboro, Georgia, around noon on Friday for a reported shooting. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office said Dimas Sanchez Ruiz, 42, shot Rod-Riez Dameyian Tripp, 30, at the lower processing warehouse. Tripp was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. So far, investigators have not released a motive behind the shooting. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist with the investigation into the shooting. Plantation Quail is the largest supplier of fresh and frozen quail in America, according to its website.
Semi Truck Driver Killed in Accident Near Twin Falls Friday Morning
Tuttle, ID — A single-vehicle accident on a Southern Idaho highway turned fatal as the driver of a semi-truck succumbed to injuries sustained in the accident at the scene. The crash happened on Friday, April 4th at 8:25 AM. Idaho State Police have reported that the deadly rollover accident happened on Interstate 84 at mile marker 148 in Gooding County. Marker 148 is just south of Tuttle and a few miles northwest of Wendell and Twin Falls. In the report from the Idaho State Police they state the following regarding the conditions and causes of the crash: A 2016 Kenworth semi pulling a flatbed trailer loaded with lumber driven by a 33-year-old male from Dietrich, was travelling eastbound on Interstate 84. The driver drove off the right shoulder of the roadway then overcorrected, and the semi rolled into the median. ISP reported that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt when his vehicle rolled and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Texas Truck Driver Killed in Highway 50 Accident
Garfield, TX — A 54-year-old truck driver from Texas, Stephen Gomez of Rosharon, died in a one-vehicle crash on Wednesday near Garfield on Highway 50. According to the Colorado State Patrol, Gomez failed to negotiate a right-hand turn and slid down a steep embankment, resulting in the fatal accident.
Walgreens worker shot to death at store mourned by Madera community
Fresno, CA — Hundreds gathered Thursday night in front of the Walgreens in Madera to remember Erick Velasquez. Mourners arrived and lit candles and placed candles in front of the store where Velasquez was working when he was shot and killed Monday night. A prayer was led by a priest from St. Joachim Catholic Church while the family stood nearby along with those who came to support the family and remember Velasquez. “A good friend,” Omar Semejar said of Velasquez, 34. “He would go above and beyond for everybody.” Semejar said he was at Walgreens when he saw the alleged shooter, Narciso Gallardo Fernandez, and wanted to go back in the store to check on my friend. “I didn’t know he had already passed away.” Semejar said he and his sister saw the suspect loading his gun when officers arrived and arrested him. Velasquez is survived by a wife and two young children.
Florida deputy killed in shootout with suspect outside store
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. – A deputy died after being shot in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect on Wednesday, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson says Deputy Will May responded to a trespassing call at a Dollar General in Mossy Head near DeFuniak Springs on Wednesday afternoon. Adkinson says the suspect walked out of the store, with Deputy May exiting behind him, seconds before shots were fired. “That suspect drew a firearm and fired multiple rounds, striking Deputy Will May,” Adkinson said. “Deputy May, to his great personal credit and courage, was able to draw his firearm and return fire.” The suspect died at the scene while Deputy May radioed for help, according to Adkinson. Despite lifesaving efforts, the deputy died from his injuries at the hospital hours later.
Teen killed by skid steer during palm tree delivery in Port St. Lucie
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — A 19-year-old died after being run over by heavy construction equipment in Port St. Lucie. The Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) said that on Tuesday, a large palm tree was being delivered and installed in a yard in the 8600 block of Southwest Felicita Way in the PGA Village Verano neighborhood. According to officials, the palm tree was attached to the skid steer’s forks, and Elias Lopez Macario of Palm City was walking alongside it as the machine was moving. PSLPD said that witnesses saw Macario trip and fall in front of the skid steer, a heavy construction equipment often used for digging. The operator, who was unaware of the incident, accidentally ran over him.
A truck driver was killed after his tractor-trailer rolled on U.S. 395 near Olancha
Olancha, CA — At approximately 1804 hours, the California Highway Patrol’s Bishop Communications Center received a report of a rollover crash involving a tractor-trailer on southbound U.S. 395 north of Walker Creek Road, near Olancha. The communications center notified CHP officers in the Bishop area, who responded to the scene. Upon arrival, investigators determined an adult male had been driving a 2012 Freightliner south on U.S. 395. For an unknown reason, the driver lost control of the vehicle and subsequently rolled onto its left side, blocking all lanes of traffic. The driver, who was not wearing a safety belt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
2 dead after angry customer opens fire inside phone repair store near Helotes
SAN ANTONIO, TX — The San Antonio Police Department said two people were killed in a shooting near Helotes on the far northwest side Tuesday afternoon. SAPD said officers were dispatched to a shooting-in-progress at a uBreakiFix phone and computer repair store located on the 11800 block of Bandera Road right off Loop 1604. According to police, a customer who was dissatisfied with a service at the location entered the store and confronted an employee. Officials said a verbal argument turned physical and the suspect reportedly pulled out a gun and shot the employee. In self-defense, police said another employee in the store also had a firearm on him and shot the suspect. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. One of the men has been identified as Kenneth Mark McKnight, 46, and the other identified as Cody Houston Bell, 35, by the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office.
OSHA, police confirm an employee died Thursday at a Little Chute business
LITTLE CHUTE, WI — An employee died Thursday at Penske Truck Leasing Corporation in Little Chute. The Fox Valley Metro Police Department confirmed to The Post-Crescent that an individual died, while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed where the incident took place. Officers responded at 7:30 a.m. to a business on the 2600 block of Buchanan Street after report of an industrial accident. The department said that the investigation has since been turned over to OSHA. OSHA confirmed the deceased was an employee of the company, and has opened an investigation, according to a company spokesperson. They have six months to complete inspections. If violations of workplace safety and/or health regulations are found, citations and monetary penalties can be issued. is is the second industrial-related death in the Fox Valley in March. On March 13, Jean Ndakebuka, a 44-year-old Appleton man, died at Progressive Converting. OSHA is also investigating Ndakebuka’s death.
Man killed while working on box truck
SAN DIEGO, CA — A man working on a box truck outside of a business in Miramar Wednesday was killed when the vehicle fell on him, authorities said. The incident happened around 5:43 p.m. in the 7800 block of Trade Street, the San Diego Police Department confirmed to FOX 5/KUSI. No other vehicles were involved. Authorities are investigating the incident.
Worker dies in ‘tragic accident’ at Bixby construction site
TULSA, Okla. – A construction worker was killed in an incident on a site in Bixby on Monday, the City confirms. Officials said it happened at an active construction site near E. 151st St. S. and N. Cabanis Avenue, close to City Hall, at 10 a.m. Bixby Fire responded to the scene and said the patient was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where they later died. The City said OSHA is investigating the incident. The city of Bixby says the man was working on part of the Iconik Bixby apartment building when he fell from the top platform and lost his life. It happened at the Red Dog Construction site. The construction company’s owner said the man was not a Red Dog employee, but a brick masonry subcontractor. He says the man was climbing the scaffolding around and fell off around 10 a.m.
Truck driver dead as strong winds overturn tractor trailer in Valparaiso
VALPARAISO, Ind. – A truck driver was killed after strong winds from Sunday afternoon’s storms caused his trailer and cab to overturn. The Porter County Sheriff’s Office said at around 4:15 p.m. Sunday, officers were sent to Pratt Industries, located in the 3000 block of Anthony Pratt Drive in Valparaiso, for reports of a crash that happened on Pratt Industries’ property. When officers arrived, they found a tractor trailer on its side with the driver deceased, according to investigators. Authorities said they believe the tractor trailer was traveling eastbound on the property when severe crosswinds blew the tractor trailer over. The driver was found just outside of the passenger compartment and died from his injuries. Officers later identified the driver as 34-year-old Jagbir Singh of Ontario, Canada.
Names of 3 killed in fiery Lexington crash released
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The names of the three people killed in a fiery Lexington crash have been released. The coroner’s office has identified the victims as 47-year-old William Kelly Curtin of Nicholasville, 55-year-old Emma Hayden of Lexington and 48-year-old Oleksandr Tyshko of Nicholasville. The crash happened Monday shortly after noon in the 1100 block of New Circle Road, near Liberty Road. According to the Lexington Fire Department, the crash was between a U-Haul truck and a construction van, which caused the van to catch fire. We’re told two people in the truck and one in the van were killed. New Circle Rd. was closed between Liberty Rd. and Trade Center Dr. while crews worked the scene. The road has since reopened. According to Kentucky State Police crash data, this is the deadliest crash in Lexington since June 2021, when six people were killed in a crash on I-75.