Weekly Toll

How Workers died last week: Snowplowing, falls, machinery, gas exposure, utility poll collapse, scaffolding, electrocution, stabbing, firefighting, 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.

Coast Guard identifies victims, begins investigating fishing boat’s deadly sinking

BOSTON, MA — The seven victims of a marine tragedy that has devastated a storied Massachusetts fishing town included a fifth-generation fisherman, a young fisheries observer and a father-and-son crew duo who all died when their fishing boat, the Lily Jean, sank off America’s oldest seaport of Gloucester. U.S. Coast Guard officials said Monday they have identified all seven victims who died when a commercial fishing boat sank without a mayday call in the frigid Atlantic waters. They have since launched an investigation. Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo was the captain of the boat, and the crew consisted of Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short and Sean Therrien, the Coast Guard said in identifying the victims for the first time Monday. Also aboard was Jada Samitt, a federal fisheries observer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Coast Guard and NOAA said. No one survived. Sanfilippo was well known in the community. The Lily Jean, Sanfilippo, and his crew were featured in a 2012 episode of the History Channel show “Nor’Easter Men.” The captain is described as a fifth-generation commercial fisherman, fishing out of Gloucester, in the Georges Bank. The crew is shown working in dangerous weather conditions for hours on end, spending as many as 10 days at sea on one trip for haddock, lobster and flounder.  The Coast Guard on Saturday suspended its search for those aboard the Lily Jean. Authorities had launched a search and rescue mission early Friday after receiving an alert from the 72-foot (22-meter) vessel about 25 miles (40 kilometers) off the historic Cape Ann peninsula. An investigation will hopefully yield more, the Coast Guard said Monday.

Operator of small snowplow killed in crash with Metra train in Bartlett

BARTLETT, IL — A 64-year-old Bartlett Public Works employee was killed Monday morning when the small snowplow he was operating was struck by a Metra train at the Bartlett commuter station, officials said. The employee, later identified as 64-year old David M. Hoday of Woodridge, was transported to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, where he died, according to Bartlett police. The Elgin-bound train on the Milwaukee District West line struck the Bobcat-type vehicle at about 8:35 a.m., authorities said. There were no injuries on the train, Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said. Train traffic on the line was halted for about an hour in the aftermath of the collision. The investigation also caused the northbound and southbound lanes of Oak Avenue and Western Avenue to be temporarily closed at Railroad Avenue, Bartlett police said.

City employee dies after collision on ice resurfacing machine

FORT COLLINS, CO — A worker with the city of Fort Collins Recreation Department has died after an ice resurfacing machine he was operating backed into a partially open overhead door. The fatal accident occurred just after noon Jan. 27 at the city-managed Edora Ice Pool Center, 1801 Riverside Ave., according to a city news release Jan. 28. Emergency services took the driver to an area hospital. He later died. No other employees or EPIC visitors were hurt, the news release stated.

Worker passes away after gas incident at Woodland Pulp, according to mill spokesperson

BAILEYVILLE, ME (From news reports) — One of the Woodland Pulp workers who was involved in a gas incident at the Baileyville mill Tuesday night has died. This is according to Mill spokesperson Scott Beal. Another worker involved in the incident was sent to Calais Hospital Tuesday night as well, with serious injuries; their condition is unknown at this time. The local fire department last night says they were called to the Down East mill at around 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday, January 27, after the workers were overcome by a gas release. Once on the scene, they worked to evacuate everyone into waiting EMS units. Officials say the gas was contained to the bleach plant at the mill and say there’s no danger to the public. At last report, they were still trying to determine the source of the gas leak. Beal said on Wednesday morning that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was on scene, and the mill is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

Machine Claims Worker’s Life

GLENWOOD, OREGON — A worker died after suffering injuries in a machine shop incident Thursday morning in the Glenwood, Oregon, area, officials said Friday. The incident occurred January 22 at 10 a.m. at Myrmo and Sons, a machine shop located on Franklin Boulevard between Eugene and Springfield. Dispatch records show a large fire and rescue response was sent to the business for a reported industrial accident. An employee in his 50s, whose identity was not immediately available, suffered an injury while working with a metal lathe, according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency workers transported the man to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Initial information indicated the worker became trapped in the industrial machine. Eugene Springfield Fire officials previously said on-site staff quickly performed lock-out tag-out procedures and assisted crews in disassembling part of the lathe to free the victim. An industrial lathe is a powerful machine that shapes materials such as metal or wood by spinning them at high speeds while a cutting tool removes material to create precise parts. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials said the agency has opened an investigation into the workplace fatality. Other investigations are continuing. A preliminary report submitted to Oregon OSHA describes the incident as a “caught-in” type injury – a classification used when a worker becomes trapped or pulled into machinery.

Aspen Skiing Company employee dies in skiing accident at Snowmass

ASPEN, CO (KKCO) — An Aspen Skiing Company employee died in a skiing accident at Snowmass ski resort last Thursday, according to resort officials. The Pitkin County Coroner’s Office identified the skier as 48-year-old Rohan Verplank of Crested Butte. He was skiing on the Lower Creekside run at the time of the accident. The death marks the fourth ski- or snowboard-related fatality this month.

Worker Dies after getting Trapped Under Machinery

SAN ANTONIO, TX — A worker died after becoming trapped under heavy machinery when he was conducting maintenance by changing hydraulic fluid, officials said. Paulino Cantu, 52, died Friday, January 9, after he was changing hydraulic fluid on a front-end loader, according to an San Antonio Police Department preliminary report. At some point, witnesses heard a “pop” and checked on Cantu after he did not respond.  The witnesses went to check on the man after he did not respond, and workers found him trapped beneath a tire of the heavy machinery. They were able to remove him from under the tire, and they performed CPR until officers and emergency medical personnel arrived. Cantu ended up pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner’s office ruled his death an accident. A spokesperson with the U.S. Department of Labor confirmed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating Cantu’s death.

Worker dies after Lake Chelan utility pole collapse

CHELAN, WA — An employee on a contract crew hired by the Chelan County PUD has died while working on a utility project along Lake Chelan. Chelan County Coroner Earl Crowe identified the deceased person as Ivan Garcia, 24, of Yakima. Garcia was working at the top of an electrical pole in the 16000 block of South Lakeshore Road, 16 miles north of Chelan, when the pole snapped about 11:19 a.m. Garcia fell about 23 feet. Chelan Fire and Rescue transported him to the emergency room at Lake Chelan Health, where he was pronounced dead. PUD spokesperson Rachel Hansen said the utility is cooperating with local and state agencies to investigate the accident. “We know that many people are going to be deeply affected by this loss, and we’re providing 24-hour crisis counseling for our employees,” Hansen said. She declined to identify the nature of Garcia’s work for the PUD contractor. The county utility district has been involved in an ongoing fiber expansion project in the South Lakeshore Road area north of the city; Hansen said it’s common for the PUD to employ contract firms for large projects.

Identity Released of Man Killed in Single-Vehicle Tractor-Trailer Crash in Bessemer

BESSEMER, AL — One person was killed early Wednesday morning in a single-vehicle tractor-trailer crash in Bessemer, according to the Jefferson County Coroner. The Jefferson County Coroner has identified the driver as 46-year-old Ashley William Jones of Fairfield. The wreck happened in the 1500 block of Highway 150 around 3:22 a.m. Jones was the sole occupant of the tractor-trailer, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 3:32 a.m. The Bessemer Police Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Victim and suspected killer identified in Northrop Grumman workplace shooting in Anne Arundel County

LINTHICUM, MD — A contracted security worker was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing another security worker at the Northrop Grumman facility near BWI Marshall Airport on Wednesday, according to police. The deceased worker was identified Thursday as Joseph Keith Aman, 37, of Baltimore. Dylan Blake Chandler, 26, of Pasadena, has been charged with first and second-degree murder, according to Anne Arundel County Police. He was ordered to be held without bond. Neither Aman nor Chandler was an employee of Northrop Grumman; they were contracted through security firm Allied Universal.

Mother planning a wedding, pilot killed in Maine plane crash

PENOBSCOT COUNTY, ME — Families and organizations have begun to identify the six victims killed in a Sunday plane crash in Maine. Passengers were on board a Bombardier Challenger 600 that erupted in flames after an engine fire. Lakewood Church employee Shawna Collins died on the aircraft, a church employee told The Associated Press. She served at the mega church run by Joel Osteen Ministries. The 53-year-old mother was helping to plan her daughter’s wedding at the time of her death. Pilot Jacob Hosmer also died in the crash, his family confirmed Tuesday to the AP. The 47-year-old began working for Arnold & Itkin in 2025 as a “team captain,” per his LinkedIn. The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the incident.

Weakley Co. deputy killed in line of duty identified as Derrick Bonham

MARTIN, TN — A Weakley County Sheriff’s Deputy was shot and killed in the line of duty early Friday morning. Martin Police Chief Phillip Fuqua said Martin police responded to a disturbance at the Days Inn, located at 800 University Parkway for possible shots fired. Fuqua said deputies from the Weakley County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) responded to assist Martin police with the call. According to Fuqua, deputies were responding to the scene at approximately 3:09 a.m. and they spotted an occupied vehicle leaving Pocket’s Gas Station, located at 821 University Street. The driver fired shots at the officers, striking a WCSO deputy, later identified to be Derrick Bonham. “The WCSO Deputy was transported to Volunteer Community Hospital and later pronounced deceased,” said Fuqua, in a press release. Martin police officers took the suspect in custody. There is no continued threat to the public. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has been requested to investigate the shooting.

Semi driver killed after crashing into trees off I-40, road closed indefinitely due to continued diesel fuel spill

LEBANON, TN (WSMV) — A semi-truck driver from Mississippi was killed in a crash in Wilson County on Wednesday night. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports that a Peterbilt semi truck was traveling on Interstate 40 West near Mile Marker 248. The truck failed to negotiate a curve, traveled across the median, and all eastbound lanes. The report states that the vehicle traveled through the tree line and hit multiple trees before stopping on Bluebird Road. The crash killed the truck driver, 61-year-old Joseph A. Blackburn, according to THP’s report.

Amazon Driver Involved in Crash Thursday Pronounced Dead

BRADLEY, IL — The driver of the Amazon truck that crashed near Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School yesterday on North Street has died. Kankakee County Coroner Bob Gessner has identified the driver as 59-year-old Michael Wayne Wilson of Gary, Indiana. Wilson was pronounced dead at Riverside Hospital around five in the evening Thursday after he was brought there by Bradley EMS. It was around 12:30 Thursday afternoon when Wilson’s truck veered off of North Street and Cleveland Avenue and struck a sign because he suffered a medical emergency. No other cars were involved in the crash. An autopsy was performed today. The cause of Wilson’s death is pending autopsy, police, and toxicology reports.

Driver killed after truck hits wall, goes off roadway on I-95 in Broward

BROWARD COUNTRY, FL — A truck driver was killed after crashing into a wall and going off the roadway on Interstate 95 in Broward Thursday morning, authorities said. The crash happened in the northbound lanes of I-95 near Copans Road when the truck collided with a barrier wall and ran off the roadway on the right ditch, Florida Highway Patrol officials said. The driver, whose identity wasn’t released, was taken to North Broward Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. A witness who was traveling behind the truck told FHP that the truck ran off the roadway for no apparent reason. Officials said it was unknown if the driver suffered a medical episode but said the incident was under investigation.

Man dies from accidental shooting at Indiana tire shop

MISHAWAKA, IN (WKRC) — A tire store employee was killed at a Mishawaka tire store Wednesday. Mishawaka Police say Curtiss Walker was in an office at a Discount Tire and was handling a friend’s gun, when it went off. Walker was shot in the head, according to WXPE. Detectives interviewed two other people who were in the office with Walker and found no evidence to suspect foul play. They do not know yet if Walker or the gun’s owner knew it was loaded.

Gwinnett County police officer killed, another hurt in shooting at Stone Mountain hotel

ATLANTA, GA (Atlanta News First) — The Gwinnett County police officers struck by gunfire Sunday morning have been identified. Officer Pradeep Tamang, 25, was killed in the line of duty and Cpl. David Reed was seriously injured after responding to a fraud call at a hotel in Stone Mountain. According to Gwinnett County police, Tamang and Reed responded to a hotel located on 1790 E. Park Place Blvd. at around 7:30 a.m. When they arrived, they confronted the suspect, 35-year-old Kevin Andrews, inside a room police believe was “rented fraudulently.” After learning Andrews had an active warrant for failure to appear out of DeKalb County, Tamang and Reed attempted to arrest him according to the GBI. The suspect produced a handgun and in an unprovoked attack, fired at our Gwinnett County police officers,” McClure said. Both officers were struck and fired back at Andrews, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. All three were taken to the hospital. Officer Tamang did not survive his injuries and Cpl. Reed was seriously injured. Tamang, who is originally from Nepal, joined the Gwinnett County Police Department in the spring of 2025. Tamang was engaged to be married.

School resource officer killed while directing traffic in Mississippi

SHANNON, MS (WTVA) — A Lee County school resource officer (SRO) was struck and killed while directing traffic on Monday afternoon. The incident happened in front of Shannon Elementary School. Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson identified the deputy as 52-year-old Rick Haggard, the SRO assigned to the school. The sheriff said two vehicles were involved. Haggard was not in a patrol car, but directing traffic. The Mississippi Highway Patrol and Shannon Police Department are investigating the crash.

Deputy killed after being struck by car during funeral procession

NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE/Gray News) — New Orleans police are investigating a fatal crash that occurred Friday morning during a funeral procession. The victim was identified as 41-year-old Christopher Paul Ohlmeyer, of River Ridge. Ohlmeyer was a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy. New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said the deputy was killed in a motorcycle crash on Airline Highway while escorting a funeral procession. Ohlmeyer was pronounced dead at the scene. Ohlmeyer was married and had two children. His family has been notified of the fatal accident. The driver of the other vehicle, described as a sedan, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Authorities did not release information about that person’s condition. Officials said the funeral procession escort was an off-duty assignment that officers volunteer for. 

Semi Driver Dies

Arkadelphia, AR — At the request of his employer, police were called to conduct a welfare check on a truck driver whose last known location was Atwoods, 2626 Caddo St. Upon arrival officers observed the semi-truck parked and idling at the east end of the lot. A knock at both vehicle doors got no response. An Atwoods employee said the driver had delivered several lawn mowers the previous evening and had requested permission to rest in the parking lot. Another check of the vehicle revealed the driver, a 73-year-old Mountain View man, had died in the truck. The coroner was notified, as were investigators. A preliminary investigation revealed no signs of foul play. 1 dead and several hospitalized after crash involving girls’ hockey team van, snowplow truck