How workers died last week: Coal mining, construction, fall, machinery, electrocution, vehicle incidents and 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.
Coahoma County tire shop employee killed by cotton harvester falling on top of him
COAHOMA COUNTY, Miss. — A man died Tuesday afternoon after being trapped under farming equipment in Coahoma County. The incident was reported on Moon Lake Road at 4:38 p.m., when the Coahoma County Fire Department, law enforcement officers, and Pafford EMS arrived at the scene. They found the victim entrapped beneath a cotton harvester and, with the assistance of a wrecker service and maintenance technicians, were able to free him. The Coahoma County Coroner’s Office pronounced the man dead at the scene. He was later identified as 59-year-old Willie Frank Page, of Farrell, who worked at Coahoma Tire Shop. A preliminary investigation found that Page was replacing a tire on the cotton harvester when the equipment slipped off the blocks supporting it and trapped him underneath. The incident is currently being classified as a workplace fatality as the investigation is ongoing.
Construction worker dies after Amtrak train hits dump truck in West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 65-year-old construction worker was killed Wednesday afternoon after police say his dump truck was hit by an Amtrak train along Northlake Boulevard at Beeline Highway. According to the West Palm Beach Police Department, the collision happened around 2:30 p.m. Investigators said the driver was working on a nearby construction project and tried to go around the railroad crossing arms when the train collided with his vehicle. Photos from the scene showed the dump truck destroyed, with twisted metal and debris scattered near the tracks. Investigators said the safety arms were down, and the warning lights and sounds were activated as the northbound Amtrak train approached. “The arms were down, lights were activated, sounds were activated, and the train horn was blasting,” Leitão said. Police said the driver of the construction vehicle, identified as Nowel Alfonso, 65, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The body of a coal miner has been found in a flooded West Virginia mine
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The body of a coal miner was found early Thursday in a mine that flooded in southern West Virginia, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said. Machines had been pumping water out of Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc.’s Rolling Thunder Mine near Belva, about 50 miles east of the state capital of Charleston. The water receded enough for rescue crews to safely enter Thursday morning, and they found foreman Steve Lipscomb dead less than two hours later, Morrisey said in a statement on social media. Morrisey praised the crews who worked around the clock for days in hopes of a rescue. A mining crew hit an unknown pocket of water on Saturday about three-quarters of a mile into the mine, which flooded after an old mine wall “was compromised,” Morrisey said. More than a dozen other miners were accounted for after the accident was reported. Lipscomb was last seen trying to make sure his crew got out of the mine safely, Alpha said in a statement. The death is the third at an Alpha facility in West Virginia this year. The others occurred in nearby Raleigh County: An elevator being tested struck a miner on a first-floor platform in August at Alpha subsidiary Marfork Coal’s processing facility; and a coal seam fell on a contractor in February at Alpha’s Black Eagle underground operation, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.
19-year-old killed in mini excavator accident near Montrose
MONTROSE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) – A 19-year-old died after a mini excavator accident in Montrose Township on Tuesday afternoon. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the victim was operating the mini excavator while picking up equipment and material at a construction site around 12:30 p.m. The Montrose Township Police Department says the company had been installing fiber optic cables along the 12000 block of Wilson Road southeast of Montrose when the accident happened. MIOSHA says the mini excavator was sitting on sloped ground, which was wet and partially covered with snow and ice. The machine started sliding sideways down the muddy slope and tipped over. The 19-year-old was partially thrown out of the mini excavator and the machine landed on top of him. Police say he was pronounced dead of his injuries on the scene. Police and MIOSHA did not identify the victim or the company he was working for while the investigation continues. The 19-year-old was 39th Michigan worker killed on the job this year.
Corpus Christi subcontractor dies after 60-foot fall inside Selena Auditorium
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A worker died after falling from a catwalk inside the Selena Auditorium on Wednesday, according to City Manager Peter Zanoni. The Nueces County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the decedent as Anthony Alcazar, a 63-year-old male. Officials said his family has been notified. Zanoni said the man fell from a catwalk. The fall happened at the Hillard Center Selena Auditorium complex, where OVG oversees venue operations. The man was taken to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Shoreline in critical condition and passed away late Wednesday afternoon. Zanoni said OVG Corporate Risk Management and the City’s Risk Management team have been assessing the situation.
Officer killed in inmate attack at prison in Virginia
GRAYSON COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — The Virginia Department of Corrections said they are mourning the line-of-duty death of a Corrections Officer following an attack by an inmate on Monday morning. According to VADOC, the attack occurred around 7:52 a.m. at River North Correctional Center in Independence. Two officers were injured in this incident and taken to the hospital afterwards, where officials said one, Officer Jeremy Lewis Hall, was pronounced dead. Officials say the prison is now secure, and the VADOC’s Office of Law Enforcement Services is actively investigating the incident.
Local business owner killed by rock crushing machine
Cogan Station, Pa. — The owner of Taylor Trucking died this afternoon in a horrific machinery accident. The Lycoming County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene near 1667 Pleasant Valley Rd., Cogan Station at the request of the Hepburn Township Fire Chief after resuscitation efforts were discontinued. Arnold Taylor, the deceased, 70, was operating machinery that crushes and sorts rocks when he became entangled in the conveyor belt mechanism resulting in severe injuries to his arm and chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:50 p.m. after resuscitative efforts were unsuccessful by Susquehanna Regional EMS along with Hepburn Township and Trout Run EMS providers. Taylor was the owner of the local family business Taylor Trucking at the time of his passing.
State investigating after Highway 17 widening project worker dies after being hit by bulldozer
MARTIN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – A state investigation is ongoing after a man died last month following being hit by a bulldozer at a job site in September. A GoFundMe says that Harry Corprew was run over by a bulldozer at a construction site in Williamston on September 4th and suffered injuries to his pelvis and leg. The fundraiser and an obituary say that Corprew died on October 23rd. Corprew worked for Branch, a construction company based in Roanoke, Virginia. Branch says that Corprew was working on the U.S. 17 widening project, which spans several miles of Beaufort and Martin counties, when he was injured. Branch says it happened on the Martin County side.
One dead after workplace accident near Big Sky
GALLATIN CO., Mont. — The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office reports it investigated a fatal workplace accident that occurred at the Yellowstone Club on Tuesday. The incident occurred on a construction site where a man was reportedly unloading a pallet of sheetrock from a truck using a crane. Officials say the pallet then fell off the crane and onto the man, who was pronounced dead on the scene. The deceased was identified as 27-year-old Chance Dutcher of Bozeman.
Man dies in workplace accident at Clinton nuclear power plant
CLINTON, IL (25News Now) – A man was killed on Friday while working on an electrical transformer at the Clinton Clean Energy Center in DeWitt County. Deputy Coroner David Allhands told 25News the man, believed to be in his late 20s, was electrocuted and pronounced dead at the scene. Plant owner Constellation Energy Corporation released a statement saying the man was employed by a contractor. Samuel Ward, 29, of Decatur, was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:45 p.m. In a news release, Rice said an autopsy was scheduled for Monday, Nov. 17. The incident happened about 2 p.m.
Texas man accused of double murder at Star Auto Sales in Shelby Township over car sale dispute
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) – A dispute over a vehicle sale at Star Auto Sales in Shelby Township allegedly led to a Texas man murdering two people, including the owner, inside the business last week. On Friday, another employee went to the business on Ryan Road and found Star Auto Sales owner Marvan Batoo, 40, of Shelby Township, and Ghaith Baban, 48, of Clinton Township, dead from gunshot wounds. That employee called police to report the murders, and also told authorities that a customer, Terrance Jermaine Sandles, 46, of Houston, recently had a dispute with the business over a vehicle sale.Sandles was charged with robbery, in addition to other felonies, for killing Batoo and Baban, but Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide said the suspect did not go to the business to rob it. He didn’t go in to rob, and this was no hit. He went in to kill that man, to kill the owner,” he said, adding that Baban appeared to have only been shot because he happened to be at Star when Sandles showed up.
Postal Worked Dies In Crash
Hardin County, TX — The DPS reports the driver of a U.S. Postal truck died yesterday afternoon in a two vehicle crash in Hardin County. Witnesses say the postal worker pulled off of Highway 327 onto Highway 69 north in front of a pickup towing a trailer. The postal worker died upon arrival at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont. Four occupants of the pickup were treated for non-life threatening injuries. On Wednesday morning, DPS identified the driver of the postal service truck as Chace Soignet, 26, of Warren.
Delaware County deputy killed in crash helping stranded motorist on I-69
DELAWARE COUNTY, IN — Delaware County Sheriff’s Corporal Blake Reynolds was killed Wednesday morning while helping a stranded motorist on I-69, according to the department. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Reynolds, a four-year veteran, was struck and killed while assisting a broken-down semi near the 247-mile marker around 3:30 a.m. According to ISP Sergeant Scott Keegan, the deputy responded to a disabled semi that was partially blocking the roadway. The deputy stopped behind the vehicle to protect the semi driver and activated emergency lights. While the deputy was outside his vehicle, another semi driver lost control and collided with both the deputy’s patrol car and the disabled semi. Reynolds was outside his vehicle and was struck during the impact.
Lucky’s Pub employee killed early Wednesday morning, suspect arrested and charged with murder
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) – Chatham County Police arrested and charged 45-year-old Jeremy Scarth with murder after responding to an early morning homicide on Wednesday. Police said officers were called to Lucky’s Pub located at 6 East Gateway Blvd. at around 1:55 a.m. for a report of shots fired. Officers found an “adult male employee of the business” dead from an apparent gunshot wound once they got there. The suspect was quickly located, arrested, and charged with murder, according to Chatham County Police. Detectives say they Scarth approached the victim while he was outside the business before the shooting happened.
Minnesota man kills co-worker with sledgehammer
Wright County, MN — A man is accused of killing a co-worker with a sledgehammer at a food and dairy processing facility in central Minnesota. According to charges filed in Wright County, the deadly assault occurred Tuesday morning at Advanced Process Technologies, located at 165 Swendra Blvd NE in Cokato, Minnesota. At around 6 a.m., deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a woman with major head trauma and significant blood loss. Authorities say an investigation determined a co-worker, identified as 40-year-old David Delong of Watkins, Minnesota, attacked the victim. He was taken into custody by deputies without incident. Charges filed in Wright County say Delong was seen on surveillance video walking to the victim’s workstation, grabbing a sledgehammer from the workstation and swinging it multiple times at the victim. According to charging documents, Delong later confessed to killing the victim. He told investigators that he didn’t like the victim and had planned on killing her for some time. The family of the victim identified her as 20-year-old Amber Czech. They say she was an amazing welder, great at her job and loved going to work every day. They also want to raise awareness of workplace violence
NYC building superintendent dies after confronting trespasser
New York, NY — A New York City building superintendent confronted a trespasser possibly stealing packages before he was found with a head injury and died, NYPD sources said Thursday. Officers found the super, identified as 41-year-old Burim Havolli, at 1199 Ocean Ave., in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where a 911 caller reported an assault Wednesday morning. Havolli had suffered significant head trauma. He was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where he later died. Investigators reviewed a brief cellphone video showing a person arguing with the super and acting erratically moments before the assault.
Construction worker dies after crash on Loop 101 on-ramp
GLENDALE, Ariz — A 64-year-old construction worker died after DPS says he was hit by a car on the westbound Loop 101 on-ramp at 35th Avenue. The driver who hit the worker wasn’t cited and won’t face charges. The worker was identified as 64-year-old Vicente Catellanos Rodriguez. The crash happened at 5:15 a.m. on Nov. 13 on the westbound Loop 101 on-ramp at 35th Avenue. Rodriguez was hit by a vehicle while crossing the on-ramp to reach a construction work area on the north shoulder of the freeway. Rodriguez died after being taken to a hospital. DPS says he was assigned to a local construction company that was making improvements to the freeway.
One Member of Indiana National Guard Killed in Boone County Crash
BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — One member of the Indiana National Guard was killed, and three others were injured in a crash on Friday involving a military vehicle in Boone County. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) said the crash happened on I-65 southbound near the interchange with I-865 at around 12:15 p.m. This accident involved three different vehicles. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Whitestown Police Department arrived at the scene, and they say one of the National Guardsmen died at the scene, and the other three were taken to a hospital with series injuries. Deputies say they also found many vehicles in the road, and drivers that were injured were treated at the scene.
Vivian police officer killed in the line of duty
VIVIAN, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A Vivian Police Officer died of his injuries after he was shot while attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Friday evening. An emergency was called into Caddo 911 for an “officer needs assistance” after the suspect, identified as Nicholas Edward Alexander, 58, reportedly fired multiple shots through the closed door and injured one of the officers. Alexander was wanted for cyberstalking. Social media posts by law enforcement agencies and loved ones called for prayers for Marc Tyler Brock, 25, and his family as the story unfolded overnight.
Coach John Beam dies after being shot at Laney College
Oakland, CA — Oakland police say John Beam, the football coach featured in Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” died Friday after a campus shooting. The suspect is in custody. Legendary former football coach John Beam died on Friday morning after he was shot on the Laney College campus in Oakland, California, on Thursday, the Oakland Police Department said, as authorities announced a suspect’s arrest. Beam, featured in Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” is a football legend in the Bay Area and had coached the sport for over 40 years before becoming solely the school’s athletic director last year. Beam was at the Laney Fieldhouse when he was shot shortly before noon on Thursday, authorities said. The alleged shooter fled the scene. Police combed through surveillance footage, and at 3:15 a.m. Friday, a person matching the suspect’s description was spotted at a Bay Area Rapid Transit station and was taken into custody, Oakland police said. Police did not discuss a possible motive.
Traverse City man killed in shooting linked to car break-in
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — A Traverse City Parking Services employee is dead in what police say is a deadly shooting connected to an attempted car break-in, a chase, and shots fired at officers over the weekend. He’s been identified as 32-year-old Lawrence Boyd IV. Traverse City Police say two suspects, ages 17 and 18, are in custody after an alleged theft from a vehicle on Saturday, November 15, escalated into a foot chase and triggered a shelter-in-place alert near the Super 8 Hotel on Munson Avenue, including Northwestern Michigan College. The alert has since been lifted.