How workers died last week: Trench collapse, machinery, crushed by pipes, acid exposure, forklift, airplane crash, conveyer belt, shootings and 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. Why We Write The Weekly Toll.
Trench collapse in Yarmouth, Massachusetts kills worker, 2 others hospitalized after long rescue effort
Yarmouth, MA — One worker has died and two others were injured in a trench collapse in Yarmouth, Massachusetts on Tuesday. The collapse happened in front of the Skipper Chowder House restaurant on South Shore Drive at about 8:30 a.m. during ongoing sewer construction. Yarmouth Fire Chief Enrique Arrascue said at a 2 p.m. press conference that crews are still working to get the man who died out of the trench. The fire department initially responded to a report of two people trapped in the trench. A third worker “heroically jumped in” to try and help. Arrascue said it was a “very complicated” rescue effort. The trench kept collapsing as rescuers tried to remove a worker who was buried up to his waist. He was flown to a trauma center in Rhode Island, while the man who jumped in was able to get himself out of the trench and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. The victim was identified as 61-year-old Miguel Reis of Fall River, Massachusetts.
NC Paramedic Killed While Helping at FL Highway Crash
Gaston County, NC — Gaston County Emergency Medical Services (GEMS) and all of Gaston County Government is mourning the loss of 27-year-old paramedic Mary Jolly. Jolly passed away this morning at a Florida hospital surrounded by family and GEMS Chief Mark Lamphiear. She was severely injured early Saturday morning on Interstate 95 in Brevard County when she stopped to help a driver that had been hit by a car. Jolly, according to Florida Highway Patrol, was injured when another car hit her while she was attempting to provide medical aid. “Mary was more than a colleague—she was part of our EMS family,” said GEMS Deputy Chief Jamie McConnell. “Her compassion, steady presence, and deep commitment to serving this community touched countless lives. This loss will be felt across our entire organization.” Jolly worked for GEMS since 2021. She was a part of the department’s swift water rescue team, which had just competed against other teams from across the state at an event in Fayetteville in September.
Worker dies in incident involving heavy machinery at Bourne cranberry bog
BOURNE, Mass. — A worker died Friday in an incident involving heavy machinery at a cranberry bog in Bourne, Massachusetts. Bourne police responded at about 8:30 a.m. to a report of a man pinned under equipment at a cranberry bog off County Road. The victim, a 71-year-old man from Bourne, had been operating a piece of equipment called a bog sander, which is used to spread a layer of sand to the cranberry bog, when it rolled on top of him, police said. “This gentleman probably had been doing this for 30 years or more, as he went into the bog, the machine tipped over, and something happened, and now his fellow employees were trying to save his life,” said state Rep. Steve Xiarhos. The victim’s co-workers used a front-end loader to free him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Worker dies at Gulf Coast manufacturing facility after being crushed by pipe
Port Bienville, LA — A worker at Jindal Tubular USA was fatally crushed last weekend while working in a tube mill at the company’s pipe manufacturing facility at Port Bienville, according to a report from The Sun-Herald. The victim died at about 5:30 a.m. on Saturday after he was caught between two large pipes, Hancock County Coroner Jeff Hair told the Biloxi newspaper. He was identified Thursday as 37-year-old Narlon Benetiz Salgado of Honduras. The Hancock County facility, which employs many residents along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Louisiana, has a history of safety violations. Earlier this year, The Sun-Herald reported that one employee died and another was injured after a pipe rolled over them.
Plant worker dies after chemical exposure in St. Gabriel
ST. GABRIEL, La. (WAFB) – Authorities are investigating after a plant employee died following an incident on Tuesday morning, Nov. 18. According to St. Gabriel Chief Kevin Ambeau, one worker died and another worker was hurt after being exposed to hydrofluoric acid at the Koura Plant. A spokesman for the plant released the following statement: At approximately 7:08 a.m. yesterday (Nov. 18), an accidental chemical exposure occurred at the Mexichem Fluor Inc. St. Gabriel, Louisiana facility. Two employees were treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital. Sadly, one of the employees has passed away. All other employees and contractors were safely accounted for and there was no environmental impact to the surrounding community. The condition that caused the exposure has been contained. We deeply regret that this incident has occurred and our thoughts and prayers are with these team members and their families. The Company will conduct a thorough investigation and will fully cooperate with all agencies also involved in investigating this matter. The St. Gabriel Police Department confirmed its officers are investigating along with OSHA and the Louisiana State Police.
Death of Staten Island worker, 35, a dad of 2 with baby on way, prompts federal probe
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death of a 35-year-old Staten Island man, Vincenzo Fortunato, who was injured while on the job in Queens. OSHA opened an inspection on Oct. 30, a spokesman for the agency said on Monday. The employer is listed as Sunrise Office Services, Inc., according to the agency’s website.
Worker Dies in Brooklyn Construction Accident at One-Story Garage
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – A construction worker has tragically died after a rooftop wall collapsed on top of them and a one-story garage in Brooklyn. New York City officials are saying the accident took place around 3:00 PM on Tuesday afternoon. The construction worker was at a one-story garage next to a six-story building on Highland Boulevard. For undetermined reasons, the rooftop wall collapsed and pinned the worker. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the accident to help the victim. He was taken to Brookdale Hospital in critical condition. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Forklift accident results in fatality
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- First responders with the Campbell County Rural Fire Service were dispatched at 11:11am today to the call of a forklift accident. The accident occurred in the Norris Crest development near Heatherly’s Point at the end of Demory Road. It appeared the forklift, the type used to deliver building materials, broke loose on an incline and rolled with the operator on it before it came to a rest, according to one official. The accident happened at a lake house up the hill from Norris Lake.
CVS employee killed outside store was beloved, known for upbeat personality
Loganville, GA — A woman who died after being shot outside a Loganville CVS where she worked is being remembered for her compassion and care for others. Kimberly Whaley, 62, of Loganville, was shot just before 2 p.m. Friday in the store parking lot at 4377 Atlanta Highway, a Loganville spokesperson said. On Sunday, police said Whaley died from her injuries at Grady Memorial Hospital.
29-year-old man dies following wall collapse at Coconut Grove property
Coconut Grove, FL — A 29-year-old construction worker was killed Tuesday morning when a concrete wall collapsed at a home under renovation in Coconut Grove. After nearly seven hours at the scene, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office removed the body of the victim, identified as Jorge Esteban Rojas, a Cuban man who would have turned 30 next week. His death has prompted a joint investigation involving Miami police and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The collapse was reported shortly before 11 a.m. at a house in the 2900 block of Southwest 22nd Avenue. According to Miami Police spokesperson Mike Vega, workers had been attempting to knock down one of the home’s interior walls when it suddenly gave way. “We know they were knocking down one of the walls when this 30-year-old worker didn’t get out on time, and the wall collapsed on top of him,” Vega said.
Semi-truck driver killed in rollover crash along Hwy 58
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A 21-year-old semi-truck driver died after a rollover crash along Highway 58 east of Keene on Saturday afternoon. The driver was identified as Gurpartap Singh Kharoud, 21, of Manteca, according to the coroner’s office. Kharoud was traveling westbound in a 2018 Freightliner on Highway 58 just east of Keene around 1:25 p.m. The semi-truck left the roadway, collided with a metal guardrail and overturned, according to officials. Kharoud was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two Truck Drivers Killed in Fiery Tractor-Trailer Collision in Arkansas
Gum Springs, AR — A deadly collision between two tractor-trailers occurred on Interstate 30 near Gum Springs, Arkansas, on November 11, 2025, leaving both drivers dead. According to the Arkansas State Police, a 2007 Freightliner traveling eastbound left the roadway shortly after 12:30 p.m., crossed the median, and struck a westbound Peterbilt head-on. Both trucks caught fire and were rapidly engulfed. Troopers noted clear weather and dry road conditions at the time of the crash. The drivers were identified as Daud Mohamed Farah, 51, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Dylan Clay Self Jr., 35, of Dallas, Texas. Westbound traffic on I-30 was shut down for several hours as crash investigation teams and emergency responders worked the scene.
Lycoming County man dies in conveyor belt accident at worksite
LYCOMING CO. (WOLF) — A Lycoming County man is dead after he became entangled in a conveyor belt on a piece of machinery he was operating on Friday. 70-year-old Arnold Taylor suffered severe injuries to his arm and chest. The coroner’s office says he was operating equipment that crushes and sorts rocks at a property on Pleasant Valley Road in Cogan Station.
USPS worker dies at troubled Palmetto mail facility
PALMETTO, Ga. — A United States Postal Service worker, Russell Scruggs, Jr., died at the Palmetto mail facility, USPS confirmed with 11Alive on Monday. It’s unclear how the employee died, but USPS said that the person was a mail handler assistant at the Palmetto Processing & Distribution Center. “The Postal Service is deeply saddened by the loss of our postal family member. Our sincere condolences and thoughts go out to his family, friends, and co-workers,” a USPS spokesperson said in a statement in part.
Tweed airport employee dies following New Haven crash Monday
NEW HAVEN, CT — A Tweed New Haven Regional Airport employee has died following a crash into a tree Monday while they were driving an airport pickup truck, an official confirmed. Airport Manager Jeremy Nielson confirmed the employee was on duty when they crashed “in an off-airport vehicle accident.” Nielson said the employee was taken to the hospital and died sometime after. CPR was rendered at the scene of the crash, which closed the intersection of Hall and Burr streets, City Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Coughlin said. The crash occurred around 9:51 a.m. Monday and the driver was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital, he said.
Alhambra police officer among 2 dead after car crash
Alhambra, CA — An Alhambra police officer and another person were killed after a crash on Thursday morning, the police chief said. The California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the incident, did not immediately provide details of what led up to the crash. At a news conference, CHP Asst. Chief Joe Zizi said just after 3 a.m., two vehicles were involved in a crash near West Valley Boulevard and Edgewood Drive. Zizi explained that one of the vehicles was the officer’s patrol unit and the other had three occupants inside. He added that one person died at the scene, another was taken to the hospital with major injuries and the driver, who had moderate injuries, was being questioned by authorities. Alhambra Police Chief Garret Kennedy identified the officer as 28-year-old Alec Sanders.
KCPD makes progress on suspects after convenience store employee killed on the job
Kansas City, MO — An employee working at the Phillips 66 Xpress Mart near Prospect Avenue and Gregory Boulevard says Craig Washington was shot and killed during his shift on Tuesday. KSHB 41’s Alyssa Jackson spent a couple of hours speaking with customers, friends and Washington’s family who visited the store the next day. Police identified the victim as 41-year-old Craig Washington, who was working a shift when he was killed, according to an employee. A memorial with handwritten notes and a message, “Stop the Violence” was in front of the store. “I don’t go to any other gas station — knowing he’s not going to be here kinda hurts…reality check but it kinda hurts,” said Shaftt Johnson, a friend of Washington.
Louisiana truck driver killed when vehicle runs off I-65, crosses highway in south Alabama
Baldwin County, AL — A Louisiana man is dead after single-vehicle crash on Wednesday in south Alabama. According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, a crash occurred at about 4:23 p.m. in Baldwin County on Interstate 65 involving a 2020 Freightliner Cascadia tractor-trailer. The vehicle, driven by Timothy Tate, 52, left the road and struck several trees but continued to cross a highway before striking another set of trees. Tate, from Hammond, Louisiana, was pronounced dead at the scene.
1 deputy and Locksmith killed in Vero Beach eviction shooting
Vero Beach, FL — A longtime Indian River County deputy was shot and killed Friday morning during an eviction at a gated community in Vero Beach, marking just the second line-of-duty death in the sheriff’s office in 100 years, authorities said. Deputy Terri Mashkow, 47, a 25-year veteran of the agency, was fatally wounded when gunfire erupted during what Sheriff Eric Flowers described as a routine call for service. Two other deputies were also shot and remain hospitalized. A local locksmith, David Long, 76, also died Sunday from wounds he sustained Friday while he was helping Indian River County deputies serve an eviction notice.The shooting took place at a gated community in the 1100 block of Governors Way in Vero Beach, an area roughly 140 miles north of Miami. Sheriff Flowers said the deputies were carrying out an eviction requested by the suspect’s family members when the violence broke out.
State investigating after Thomson Reuters employee dies in Eagan workplace incident
Eagan, MN — No details have been released about a Thomson Reuters employee killed at a printing plant in Eagan on Tuesday. Police and the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating. “Minnesota OSHA Compliance is investigating this incident,” the state said in a statement. “Because of that, no further public information is available currently.” Sgt. Brian Boekhoff of the Eagan Police Department said no arrests have been made. In a statement, Thomson Reuters said: “We are devastated by this loss and extend our deepest condolences to the family. The health and safety of our employees is our highest priority, and we continue to work closely with the relevant authorities as part of their reviews. Our thoughts are with the loved ones, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”
Tow Truck Driver Killed After Crash on Route 140
Freetown, MA (November 22, 2025) – A tragic crash claimed the life of a tow truck driver Friday evening after their vehicle was pushed off an overpass on Route 140 South in Freetown. The incident occurred around 6:00 p.m., according to the Massachusetts State Police. Investigators report that the tow truck was traveling in the left lane of Route 140 South when it was struck by a vehicle in the adjacent right lane. The impact caused the tow truck to veer off the overpass, falling onto Washburn Road directly below. Manuel Andrade, 52, was the driver of the tow truck that fell from the overpass, officials said.
Causes Of Supervisor, Employee Deaths Revealed In Arlington Heights
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — The cause of deaths and identifications of a supervisor and his employee found dead Friday night in the utility room of a residential complex have been revealed. The men have been identified as Juan Medina, 53, of Palatine, and Steven M. Weigensberg, 53, of Naperville, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Medina died from a gunshot wound to the head in an apparent suicide, while Weigensberg’s death has been ruled a homicide from multiple gunshot wounds.
Austin Utility Worker Killed
AUSTIN, Texas — A 20-year-old Austin man is facing charges after a crash in Georgetown on Sunday claimed the life of a utility worker. According to the Georgetown Police Department, the incident happened at around 2:30 p.m., near Westinghouse Road and Kelley Drive. Police say a black Ford Escape, driven by 20-year-old Alezander Cruz of Austin, was traveling southbound on Kelley Drive when it hit an Oncor truck working in the area. The collision pushed the Oncor truck into another vehicle in front of it, causing it to hit three workers between the two trucks. One of the workers, a 20-year-old man from College Station whom Oncor has identified as Miguel Ramirez Jr., died from his injuries. The other two were taken to the hospital, where police say their current conditions are unknown. Police say that Cruz showed signs of intoxication.