How workers died last week: Confined space, falls, logging, grain bin, skid steer, electrocution, fork lift, fire fighting, 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. Why We Write The Weekly Toll
Six dead in accident at Colorado dairy
Keenesburg, CO – Six workers were killed Wednesday at a Colorado dairy in an accident that is being investigated as toxic gas exposure, officials said. Six bodies were recovered when firefighters responded to “a confined space rescue” around 6 p.m., Southeast Weld Fire District Chief Tom Beach said. The deaths are being investigated as possibly being the result of toxic gas exposure in a confined space, said Jolene Weimer, deputy chief coroner for Weld County. The accident occurred at Prospect Valley Dairy on Weld County Road 18 in the southern part of Weld County, Weimer and the fire department said. Officials on Friday identified the dead, who ranged in age from 17 to 50. Dairy Farmers of America said the deadly accident happened at one of its member farms in the area of Keenesburg, a small town off Interstate 76 northeast of Denver. On Friday, the coroner’s office released the identities of those who died: Jorge Sanchez Pena, 36, of Greeley, Alejandro Espinoza, 50, of Nunn, Oscar Espinoza Leos, 17, of Nunn, Ricardo Gomez Galvan, 40, of Keenesburg, Noe Montanez Casanas, 32, of Keenesburg, Carlos Espinoza Prado, 29, of Evans.
Cushing worker found dead inside ethanol plant tank
Plainview, NE — A Cushing, Oklahoma worker was found dead over the weekend inside a fermenting tank at a Nebraska ethanol plant. He was identified as Randall McElroy, 31 whose body was found Saturday at the Husker Ag Ethanol Production facility near Plainview, Nebraska. KTIV News reported Plainview Fire and Rescue and Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies responded when the body was discovered and attempted revival but they were unsuccessful.
Contractor employee dies from injuries sustained in Branson water main break
BRANSON, Mo. — Emery Sapp & Sons, the business involved in downtown Branson’s water main break on Thursday, announced Saturday evening that one of the two employees injured from the incident is dead. On Thursday, it was originally reported that two employees were in critical condition. The details surrounding the incident are unknown at this time. “We are heartbroken to share that an Emery Sapp & Sons employee has died from injuries sustained in the incident at the Branson Streetscapes project on Thursday, August 21,” the statement said. The statement noted the man acted heroically to assist a coworker during the incident. Ozarks First has confirmed through the company that the worker who died was Jacob Seiler III.
Blue Mound farmer dies in grain bin tragedy
BLUE MOUND, IL — Farmer and Richland Community College board of trustees member Thomas W. Ritter was killed Wednesday afternoon in a grain bin accident in Blue Mound, where he farmed. The identity of Ritter, 73, was confirmed in a statement from Macon County Coroner Michael D. Burkham. “This is an ongoing investigation,” Burkham added. Lt. Scott Flannery with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office said deputies had been called to the scene, a farm grain bin off Pleasant View Road, around 4 p.m. “We were called as an agency assist, and we were sent down to do traffic control because of all the fire trucks and everything like that on scene,” Flannery said. “Once they had identified there was an individual inside the grain bin, we established it wasn’t a criminal matter and it was, instead, an unfortunate accident. “The whole recovery operation took a couple of hours because they had to drain the corn to get the victim out and then they ended up cutting holes in the sides of the bin. The fire department cut the bin to pull the victim out of the side instead of going all the way to the bottom.”
El Paso police probe industrial accident death at Jobe facility on Thursday
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso police are investigating a death in an industrial accident that happened at the Jobe facility in Northeast El Paso on Thursday. Officials said they found a man deceased around 6 p.m. at the site located at 4801 Fred Wilson. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said they have opened up an investigation.
Amish boy killed in farming accident while operating horse-drawn equipment, officials say
TOWN OF DEKALB, N.Y. (WWNY/Gray News) – A 12-year-old Amish boy was killed in a farming accident in New York state, according to authorities. The St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to a farm on Risley Road in the town of DeKalb Wednesday. Sheriff Patrick Engle said the boy was using a horse-drawn piece of equipment to disc a field when the accident took place. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
Painter Who Fell Off Bergen County Roof Has Died
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — A painting contractor has died after falling from a roof in Ridgewood last week. At approximately 1:45 p.m. last Tuesday, said Ridgewood police, first responders headed to 152 Kenilworth Road on a report of a man who fell from the roof. He was taken to Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center in Patterson with severe injuries, police said. Heriberto Antonio Solís Fallas, 40, died the following day. OSHA was notified and began an investigation, noting that Solís had been working for C&W Painting, which had no prior inspection history. “He came seeking a better life,” his family told Daily Voice, describing him as “a very dedicated and responsible person, always willing to help and serve others.” Solís was also the devoted father of two daughters, ages 14 and 12.
72-year-old public safety officer killed in Enid hospital shooting
Enid, OK — A 72-year-old public safety officer was killed Sunday night when a gunman opened fire inside INTEGRIS Health Enid Hospital, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The shooting began after Enid police responded to a domestic disturbance call at a home near Walnut and 12th Street just before 11 p.m., Hunter McKee, with the OSBI. Neighbors said they saw the suspect’s girlfriend being taken from the home in an ambulance to the hospital. Authorities believe the suspect followed her there. “They were able to track his vehicle outside of the hospital here,” McKee said. When officers tried to make contact, the suspect began shooting at them outside the hospital, then ran inside and continued firing multiple rounds. During the chaos, public safety officer J.W. Bode, 72, was shot and killed. Hospital officials said Bode was killed as he approached the suspect and died protecting others.
Man killed after falling 80 feet from wind turbine in Enid
ENID, Okla. — A man was killed on Tuesday night after falling from a wind turbine. The victim has not yet been identified, but the man fell about 80 feet in an apparent accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been called in to figure out what happened. Emergency crews responded to the area of 150th and Phillips near Enid at about 9 p.m. after receiving reports of a man falling from a wind turbine at a Blattner Energy project site. Garfield County Sheriff Cory Rink said the man was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation into what happened is underway, although it is believed to be an accident. OSHA said it has six months to complete its investigation. “I do know that he had a safety harness on, but I don’t know if it was improper use,” Rink said. “I do know they have been developing a wind yard in that area for a few months now.”
Man dies after tree goes through skid steer in Warren County
WARREN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – A man died after tree went through the windshield of a skid steer in Warren County, officials said. Firefighters with the Warren County Fire Service and EMS responded to Hannah Road in northern Warren County on August 20, 2025. According to officials, the unidentified victim was trapped in the skid steer after a tree penetrated the windshield. He died from his injuries. The victim was extricated from the equipment with the assistance of Vicksburg firefighters and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority employee killed in crash on I-44 in Ottawa County
OTTAWA COUNTY, Okla. — Authorities say an Oklahoma Turnpike Authority employee was killed in a crash Monday afternoon in Ottawa County. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol responded to a fatal crash in the eastbound lanes of I-44 at mile marker 313 near Missouri. Troopers said a tractor-trailer traveling eastbound drifted off the roadway to the right and struck an OTA employee who was on foot collecting debris. The employee, 36-year-old Zachary Rinehart of Vinita, died due to the collision. The tractor-trailer then struck a parked OTA vehicle that had a second employee, who was identified as 25-year-old Colton Armstrong from Welch, inside. Armstrong was critically injured but survived the crash, according to OHP. He was transported to a hospital in Joplin.
Worker killed in accident at quarry in Scott City, Mo.
SCOTT CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – An accident at a quarry in Scott City turned deadly on Monday morning, August 25. According to Scott City Police Chief Chris Griggs, an employee at the Colt Rock & Lime quarry was killed in an accident on the property involving a piece of equipment. Chief Griggs said the employee was a Perryville man. Scott County Coroner Cody Caudle tells Heartland News the 26-year-old worker was driving a piece of equipment, he described as a tractor/dump truck, when it turned over, causing the deadly accident.
Firefighter dies fighting Bivens Creek blaze in Tobacco Root Mountains
Bivens Creek, MT — A firefighter working the Bivens Creek fire in the Tobacco Root Mountains died Sunday afternoon of cardiac arrest, a release issued by several agencies Sunday night said. The unidentified man involved in fire suppression on the ground when he suffered the cardiac emergency. “Rapid medical assistance was rendered from a line paramedic; however, resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful,” said the release, which was attributed to the Northern Rockies Team 6 under Incident Commander Rich Cowger, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, USDA Forest Service Northern Region, the Office of Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and Bureau of Land Management Western District.
21-year-old woman dies in forklift accident at Geauga County flooring company
Middlefield, OH — A 21-year-old woman was killed after being pinned by a forklift in an accident at a flooring company in Geauga County Friday afternoon, Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand said. Hildenbrand said the incident happened around 2 p.m. at Fisher Flooring LLC, located at 16286 Nauvoo Rd. in Middlefield. According to the sheriff, the woman was driving the forklift when she accidentally drove off the loading dock. She became pinned after the forklift flipped.
Man dead after being pinned under work truck during ‘industrial accident’ in Kentucky
BOONE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Boone County Sheriff’s Office reported that a New York man was killed after the Freightliner he was operating overturned and pinned him under it in Petersburg on Thursday. According to officials, at around 7 p.m. on Thursday, deputies were called to the 2400 block of Lawrenceburg Ferry Road regarding an “industrial accident.” Officials detailed that Road Safety System LLC was called to install guardrails in the area and that a man, identified as 42-year-old Robert Kinsella from New York, was operating a 2013 Freightliner M21 equipped with a rear-mounted post drive. While operating the truck from the rear control panel, officials reported that the truck, “for unknown reasons, backed over an embankment and overturned,” resulting in Kinsella being pinned under it. During the incident, officials added that another man was hit by the truck. Officials reported that Kinsella was pronounced dead on the scene while the injured man was airlifted to a hospital where he is currently stable.
Truck driver killed in crash near Eden Valley
Manannah MN — A man from Burtrum was killed when the semi he was driving rear-ended a semi on Highway 55 in Manannah Township Friday. The state patrol says a semi driven by 73-year-old Joseph Haag of Eden Valley was waiting to make a left turn into a driveway on Highway 55 when his truck was rear-ended by an eastbound semi driven by 57-year-old David Hofstadter of Burtrum. Haag was not injured but Hofstadter was killed in the crash reported at 3:03 p.m. Friday afternoon.
South Dakota truck driver killed in Thursday accident in North Dakota
Valley City, ND — A Hudson, South Dakota, truck driver killed in an accident in North Dakota last week has been identified. The North Dakota Highway Patrol says 37 year-old Dirk Rozeboom died from injuries he sustained after crashing the semi he was driving on Interstate 94 near Valley City on Thursday (Aug. 14, 2025). Rozeboom was eastbound when the semi went into the ditch, drove through a slough and came to rest in a corn field. Rozeboom was taken to Mercy Hospital in Valley City where he died.
Overnight Death at Montecito Restaurant Causes Concerns for Workers
Montecito, CA — The death of a man, believed to be a dishwasher, was reported at Ospi Montecito early Monday morning. Workers at the restaurant said they were feeling pressure to continue to work through the remainder of their shifts, despite concerns over health and public safety. Staff members who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation told the Independent that the body of the man was found in the kitchen area and management was notified right away. According to staff, the body was since removed but no further reports were made to either the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. Workers were reluctant to continue working, but they said they were pressured by management to continue the rest of their shifts, serving breakfast and lunch as usual despite the death of a man just hours before. Workers told the Independent they were told they could be fired if they refused to continue the remainder of their shifts. Representatives from Memento Mori, the parent company of Ospi Montecito, told the Independent that the individual who was found dead early Monday morning was not a dishwasher employed by the restaurant. He was a member of a cleaning crew employed by a third-party contractor.
Mississippi man killed in logging accident
WARREN CO., Miss. (WLBT) – A 26-year-old Utica man was killed in a logging accident near the Oak Ridge Community on Aug. 20. The incident occurred approximately a mile into the wooded land from Hannah Road, between Flowers and the Oak Ridge Community. According to Deputy Coroner Kelda Bailess, the victim was sent to the Mississippi Crime Lab in Pearl to receive an autopsy. Authorities identified the victim as Jonathan Temple II, 26, of Utica. Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said the victim was working on a skid steer when a tree came through the windshield. A coworker who was nearby called first responders and the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene, after both paramedics and deputies arrived.
Man electrocuted to death by downed wire on Yale University Golf Course
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A man died after being electrocuted by a downed electrical wire at the Yale University Golf Course on Thursday, according to officials. Yale officials said the man was working on the golf course and came into contact with the wire after a tree fell during a storm. The man, between 40 and 50 years old, was a contractor employed by Eastern Land Management and was pronounced dead at the scene.
64-year-old Wylie ISD employee dies in bus accident
ABILENE, Texas — A 64-year-old Wylie ISD employee died at the bus barn Tuesday morning. According to the Abilene Police Department, Lupe Garcia was killed after being injured by a bus at the Wylie ISD Transportation Facility. Several police units responded to the incident that happened shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday. No students were on the bus at the time of the incident, according to a press release from Wylie ISD.
Intern dies after ‘tragic accident’ at Lindner Family Tennis Center
MASON, Ohio — A Cincinnati Open intern is dead after what the tournament called a “tragic accident” Monday night. Mason police said first responders were called to the Lindner Family Tennis Center just before 11 p.m. Monday, the day of the finals, for a man who fell off a cart near the facility’s loading dock. The man was taken to West Chester Hospital, police said. On Tuesday, the Cincinnati Open said in a statement that a “tragic accident … took the life of one of our interns and valued team members.” “This loss is deeply felt by our entire organization. Our hearts, thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family, friends and all who knew and loved him,” the statement says. We have since learned the man who died was Joshua Darst. Lakota Family YMCA shared on social media that Darst was a longtime lifeguard at their facility, working as a pool manager and teaching swim lessons to children.
Racing champion killed when his skid loader slides into MN ditch
Clarkfield, MN — A race car driver who was operating a skid loader was killed when the loader accidentally became stuck in a drainage ditch on its side. Dustin Lucius Virkus, a race car competitor, was inside a skid loader when it slid into a drainage ditch Aug. 20 in Clarkfield, Minnesota, the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. TOP VIDEOS The sheriff’s office received a 911 call about the incident in the middle of the day and responded. “Upon arrival, emergency responders found the skid loader on its side, fully submerged in a drainage ditch,” officials said in the statement. “After an extended effort, rescue teams were able to recover the operator from the equipment. The individual was pronounced dead at the scene.”
JBS Driver Killed on the Job
Greeley, CO — A JBS truck driver, Devin Michael Bryant, died in Greeley, Colorado, on June 26, 2025, after being pinned between his tractor-trailer and another trailer when the truck rolled forward. Police dismissed foul play, concluding the accident was due to the driver failing to properly set the brake before exiting the vehicle. In a separate incident, a JBS employee, Eduardo Reyes Hernandez, died from blunt-force injuries in a November 2024 accident at the Tolleson, Arizona, plant, which was a result of being caught between two vehicles. JBS was subsequently fined for worker-safety violations in the Tolleson case.
Subcontractor employee death sparks OSHA investigation in Fort Bliss ICE facility
Fort Bliss, TX — The embattled Fort Bliss immigration detention facility is now dealing with an investigation following the death of a subcontractor employee late last month. On July 21, NBC News reported that an employee, who was later identified as Hector Gonzalez, died in a workplace incident at Camp East Montana on Fort Bliss. Following the death of the 38-year-old employee, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division announced they were opening a formal investigation, confirmed agency representatives. Gonzalez was employed by Disaster Management Group, LLC, based in Jupiter, Florida. The El Paso Times reached out to the company, but calls were not returned.
Worker death reported at Austinville industrial park
CARROLL COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)- An official with Carroll County Emergency Services has confirmed the death of a worker at the Wildwood Commerce Park in Austinville. The incident happened August 18. The unidentified worker was in his 70s and was from out-of-state, according to agency operations manager Jason Felts. Felts couldn’t provide details on how the worker died. He said OSHA was handling the investigation. Felts could not confirm if the death occurred at the new Pluck’d facility, but said it was the only site where work was being done.
UPS worker dies after being found shot in northwest Indianapolis parking lot
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (WISH) — A UPS employee died after being found shot Tuesday night in a parking lot in a commercial area on the city’s northwest side, police say. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was called to reports of shots fired and a person shot at 9:55 p.m. Tuesday for an address in the 5400 block of West 81st Street. The address is listed online as a UPS logistics facility. It’s about three-quarters of a mile southeast of the I-465 interchange for West 86th Street. Police say the UPS worker was sitting outside the building when a suspect shot them. The victim later died in the hospital. The Marion County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 22-year-old La’Renzo Murray.
Minerva-area truck driver killed in fiery crash in eastern Ohio
Belmont County, OH — A 38-year-old Minerva-area man has died in a traffic crash in Belmont County. Joseph W. Ferrell was killed the morning of Aug. 20 when the tractor-trailer truck he was driving experienced an equipment malfunction, causing the truck to drive off the road, overturn and burst into flames, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. Ferrell was unable to get out of the vehicle, a Patrol statement said.
Coroner identifies employee who died in shooting at Ingalls Shipbuilding
Pascagoula, MS — Authorities have identified the Ingalls Shipbuilding employee who died in a shooting on Friday. Tahj Johnson, 27, of Prichard, Alabama, was shot Friday morning, Jackson County Deputy Coroner James Prisock said. Johnson died of multiple gunshot wounds on the ship where he was working, Prisock said. Police arrested a suspect, 25-year-old Curtis James Jr., on a murder charge. Pascagoula Police Chief Terry Scott said at a news conference Friday morning that the suspect and victim were painters at Ingalls and had argued earlier this week. He declined to describe what the argument was about.
Employee killed by ex-husband in basement of Henry Ford Hospital
DETROIT, MI – Henry Ford Hospital employee Latricia Green Brown, 40, was killed by her ex-husband in a shooting in the hospital’s basement on Friday, police said. The shooting happened before 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Police Chief Todd Bettison said Mario Green, 53, is accused of going into the basement of the hospital and shooting his ex-wife. “He got into a verbal altercation with what I’m being told is his ex-wife in the basement area of Henry Ford Hospital,” Bettison said. “He produced a handgun and fired multiple shots, killing his ex-wife.”
Raymondville Truck Driver Killed in Franklin County Crash
Franklin County, MO — A fatal crash in Franklin County claimed the life of a Raymondville truck driver yesterday morning. FOX2Now reports that the Missouri State Highway Patrol stated the accident happened around 11:10 a.m. on Highway FF. The incident involved an International 4900 truck, which went off the road and resulted in the truck striking a fence and several trees. The highway patrol detailed that the 49-year-old driver, who hailed from Raymondville in Texas County, did not survive the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and it was also noted that he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. First Alert 4 disclosed that the truck had crossed over the centerline before veering off the road during a curve.
College baseball player dies aged just 21 in tragic accident falling from golf cart at Cincinnati Open tennis
Cincinnati, OH — Tributes have flooded in after a college baseball player died while working at a sporting event. Joshua Darst’s University paid tribute after his tragic death at the Cincinnati. Darst died at age 21 at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament. He was a senior at the college and landed a role as an intern working at the tennis. WLWT reported that he fell from a golf cart near the loading dock at around 11 pm Monday. The incident was hours after the finals of the competition. WKRC reported that the death was ruled an accident by a coroner. The Butler County Coroner says he suffered head trauma, their report adds.
San Francisco police recruit dies after medical emergency during training exercise
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A San Francisco police recruit died Friday, two days after a medical emergency following a training exercise at the Police Academy, the department said. It was believed to be the first training death in the Police Department’s history. Recruit Officer Jon-Marques Psalms, 30, was in the third month of roughly eight months of training when he suffered the emergency Wednesday, the Police Department said in an announcement. “Medical personnel treated him on site before paramedics took him to the hospital,” police said in a statement. “Unfortunately, he passed away at the hospital on Friday.” Psalms was one of 55 recruits who started Academy Class 286 on May 9. The training exercise was part of a course required by the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, the department said. “The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an investigation and issue a report on the cause of death,” the Police Department said.
Employee, suspects identified after shooting at Georgia Buffalo Wild Wings
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A shooting at a Georgia Buffalo Wild Wings resulted in the death of one employee, police said. When officers arrived, they found one person with multiple gunshot wounds, who was later pronounced dead at Navicent Health Baldwin. On Sunday, MPD identified the victim as 25-year-old Nytavious Stone. Investigators said the incident began as an argument between two employees, which then escalated into a physical fight and ultimately led to one employee being shot.