How workers died last week: airplane and fire truck collision, falls, crushed by industrial equipment, medical episodes, train and truck collisions, falls, construction incidents, shootings and vehicle incidents. On average, 100 workers die every week from traumatic injuries on the job in the United States. 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.
Two Killed in Deadly LaGuardia crash
EAST ELMHURST, NY — A plane landing at LaGuardia Airport collided with an emergency vehicle on the runway last night, killing the pilot and the co-pilot and injuring two Port Authority police officers, according to sources. The collision occurred after 11:30 p.m. Sunday at the Queens airport, FDNY officials said. A plane flying on behalf of Air Canada was nearing the end of its landing procedure when it collided with a Port Authority firetruck that was on the runway, sources said. The two Port Authority officers in the emergency vehicle suffered broken bones. There were 72 passengers and four crew members onboard the plane; 41 passengers, crew, and aircraft rescue and firefighting officers were taken to area hospitals for injuries. The cause of the collision is under investigation. A National Transportation Safety Board team is on site. LaGuardia is expected to remain closed through early afternoon. Both the aircraft and the truck had runway clearance at the time of the accident, a source says. Federal teams are investigating.
Death of city of Longview employee under investigation after workplace accident
LONGVIEW, TX — Officials are investigating after a city of Longview employee died in a workplace accident. Buddy Powell, a member of the city’s Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection crew, was known for his work ethic and attitude. The incident is under investigation. The city officials said they are working with staff to ensure their physical safety and mental health.
Coroner IDs worker who died after being pinned by press machine at Ford plant in Sharonville
CINCINNATI, OH — A worker has died after an industrial accident at a Ford plant in Sharonville. It happened Monday morning, when Sharonville Police responded to Ford Motor Company for a report of an industrial accident. Tuesday, the Hamilton County coroner confirmed the identity of the worker as Gregory Knopf, 64, from Goshen. Police say a press machine that was undergoing routine service turned on inadvertently and pinned the worker. The worker was freed from the machine and taken to Bethesda North Hospital where they were pronounced dead. The Hamilton County Coroner’s office, OHSA and Ford’s administrative staff are investigating the accident.
‘We were all traumatized’ | Video shows Lyft driver hitting and killing sign-spinner on San Antonio sidewalk
SAN ANTONIO, TX — A woman working as a sign spinner was struck and killed by an SUV driven by a rideshare driver Saturday afternoon on the city’s northwest side, according to police. Police said the driver, who was operating for the rideshare company Lyft, told investigators he accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, while accelerating off the road before hitting the woman. Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the moments leading up to the crash. The footage shows the SUV driving through the restaurant parking lot and exiting onto Quill Drive. As the driver turned onto Bandera Road, the vehicle jumped the curb and struck a woman who was standing on the sidewalk spinning a sign. Authorities said the victim died at the scene. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the woman as 35-year-old Darlene Ibarra. Her father shared photos of Ibarra with family members, including one showing her with her children.
VA social worker dies following shooting at rural Georgia clinic
JASPER, GA — A Veterans Affairs social worker died after being shot Tuesday at a VA clinic in Jasper, Georgia. Nicholas “Nic” Crews of Marietta, Georgia, died Wednesday as a result of injuries suffered in a shooting at the clinic. He was airlifted from the scene for advanced medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. His assailant, Lawrence Charles Michels, 51, of Jasper, was shot and killed by law enforcement, the GBI said in a release Thursday. Michels was in the clinic for a walk-in mental health consultation; Crews was the clinic’s social work case manager, according to the GBI. Crews leaves behind a wife and young children. According to the Atlanta-based 11Alive WXIA, Crews’ wife, Alyssa, is expecting the couple’s third child and is due in two weeks. He celebrated his 34th birthday on March 14.
Man dies after being trapped in gravel machine at Connecticut plant
HAMDEN, CT — A 32-year-old man died Thursday morning when he became trapped in a machine at a landscaping and masonry supply plant in Hamden. Hamden fire officials said the man went into cardiac arrest in an industrial yard at Modern Metals Corp. on State Street. Police say the man was tending to a large piece of commercial metal equipment, an industrial gravel machine, when an accident occurred, leading to traumatic asphyxiation. Crews said they were able to disentangle the victim from the machine without incident. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Hamden Police Department, the Hamden Fire Department, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors. The investigation is ongoing.
Chicago firefighter dies from injuries suffered in fall while batting Rogers Park building fire
CHICAGO, IL — Tuesday has been difficult for the Chicago Fire Department and the family of firefighter Michael Altman, who died from injuries he suffered while battling a North Side blaze on Monday. Firefighters escorted Altman’s body from Cook County Hospital to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Altman, a 32-year-old CFD EMT, fell from a Rogers Park building’s first floor, which collapsed, and into the basement around 11:30 a.m. Monday. It happened in the 1700-block of West North Shore Avenue. Altman was brought to Stroger Hospital in serious condition on Monday and died from his injuries on Tuesday. Altman, assigned to truck #47 in the Edgewater neighborhood, was on the job for nearly two years. He leaves behind his young son and his wife, who is pregnant with their second child. Altman was a fourth-generation firefighter with CFD. His grandfather was, at one time, the commissioner of the fire department.
Worker killed after being hit by fallen tree in Newtown Square
NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA — A tree service worker was killed Tuesday morning in Newtown Square when a large tree suddenly toppled while a crew was clearing another downed tree along Earles Lane. Gilberto Senecio Feregrino, an employee of Flynn Tree Services, was struck by that falling tree. The 43-year-old, who was from West Chester, was pronounced dead a short time later. Jeff Linton, the owner of JC Linton Tree Service in Newtown Square, said he observed evidence of rotting within the tree’s root system, but added that the timing of the collapse was difficult to understand because it occurred nearly 12 hours after the storm. The fatal incident came as Monday night’s storm caused widespread damage across the region, with numerous reports of fallen trees.
61-year-old killed in Volusia County construction accident
VOLUSIA COUNTY, FL — A 61-year-old man was killed in a construction accident in Volusia County on Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s office. The victim, later identified as Lea Marshall Brunson, suffered a head injury on a worksite, deputies said. Brunson was a member of an underground drilling crew. The incident occurred at State Road 415 and Pioneer Trail. According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the accident was caused by a drill when Brunson went to replace the drill head. The chain wrench of the drill broke free, striking him in the head. VSO said Brunson was wearing a helmet, but the impact dented his hard hat, causing the fatal head injury. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was notified and will conduct its own investigation.
2 tugboat crew members killed on barge in Alaska, Coast Guard says
KETCHIKAN, AK — Two tugboat crew members died in a confined‑space incident aboard the freight barge Waynehoe off Ketchikan, Alaska, while three other crew members were rescued; the Coast Guard is investigating the cause, which may involve methane gas. Ben Fowler and Sidney Mohorovich died on March 15 aboard a freight barge Waynehoe about 25 miles from Ketchikan, on the southeastern coast of Alaska, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, which is investigating the incident. The two were crew members on the tug vessel Chukchi Sea and were on board Waynehoe when other tug crew members lost contact with them. Two other crew members with them on the barge survived and were in stable condition. By the time the responders reached the barge, the other tug crew members had recovered a body and helped the two surviving crew members get out of the confined space. The response team then towed the barge to a pier in Ketchikan and recovered the second body on March 17, the Coast Guard said. A cause of death for the two deceased crew members was not released.
Pilot killed when plane operated by Kansas City business crashed at Missouri airport
KANSAS CITY, M0 — A plane operated by a Kansas City company crashed early Tuesday morning, killing the pilot. Central Air Southwest confirmed it owned the plane that crashed at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield. St. Louis County Police said the crash happened around 3:40 a.m. Emergency crews said the pilot died in the crash and was the only person on the plane at the time. The pilot was later identified as Edward Ruhbeck, 65, of St. Louis. Investigators also said the pilot departed from Spirit of St. Louis Airport sometime overnight. He then tried to return to the airport for some reason. The Federal Aviation Administration will begin an investigation into the crash, as it does following any plane crash.
Truck driver killed in crash; eastbound lanes of I-42 closed in Johnston County
SELMA, NC — A deadly crash has affected traffic in Johnston County. The eastbound lanes of Interstate 42 are closed at exit 7, Ranch Road, after a tractor-trailer overturned. At least one person was killed in the crash, which happened just after 2 p.m. State troopers said a 2026 International Truck LT625 with a cargo tank trailer carrying animal waste (fat) veered off the road to the left and overturned when the driver tried to steer back onto the interstate. The crash caused the cargo tank trailer to detach from the cab. The cab came to rest on its roof facing south in the roadway, while the cargo trailer came to rest partially in the roadway, also facing south, troopers said. Robert Lee Williams, 55, of Selma, was driving the truck, which was owned by Bailey Feed Mill of Selma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Truck driver dies in crash with 2 other tractor-trailers on Ohio Turnpike
OTTAWA COUNTY, OH — A New York truck driver died Sunday after a chain reaction crash in backed-up traffic on the Ohio Turnpike. There had already been a collision that morning in the same area of Interstate 80/90 in Ottawa County’s Harris Township, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP). Eastbound traffic was still at a halt just before 10:30 a.m. when a tractor-trailer’s driver, later identified as Ibodulloev Mukhammadali, approached milepost 78. For some reason, the driver didn’t stop and instead crashed into a stopped trailer, the OSHP determined. The force of the collision caused the second truck to hit the one in front of it. Mukhammadali, a 29-year-old from Brooklyn, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the trailer he crashed into was a 65-year-old man from Florida who had to be taken to an Ohio hospital for minor injuries. No major injuries were reported for the third driver involved, a 61-year-old man from Michigan, according to the OSHP.
Propane tanker crash in Glade Spring results in fatal injuries for driver
GLADE SPRING, VA — A single-vehicle crash in Washington County, Virginia resulted in fatal injuries for the driver of a propane tanker. A preliminary State Police report said the truck driven by Albert J. Stanton, 44, of Chilhowie was traveling in the 8000 block of Crescent Road in Glade Spring when his vehicle went off the right side of the highway, struck a power pole then overturned. Stanton later died of those wounds at an area hospital. The wreck remains under investigation.
Family of construction worker killed in I-395 fall devastated
MIAMI, FL — A family has been left heartbroken after construction worked died early Monday when he fell from the overpass of Interstate 395 in Miami. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident happened just before 4 a.m. when the victim fell and landed 20 feet below onto Biscayne Boulevard, authorities said. The man died at the scene. It was not immediately clear what caused his fall. He was identified by family members as Jorge Eliud Galindo Thompson. NBC6 spoke with Galindo’s cousin, Clifford Thompson, who said his cousin worked in Miami for two years and operated heavy machinery. He told NBC6 that he saw Galindo on Sunday night, before his shift at 7 p.m., and then got a call at around 4 a.m. “A bomb,” he said in Spanish. “They called me. The telephone went crazy, and I didn’t want to answer. I knew when this happens, there’s bad news.”
Man charged in Belleville Crossings deadly shooting
BELLEVILLE, IL — An 18-year-old man is being charged for a shooting that left a 20-year-old man dead Sunday afternoon. William Molton, 18, from Collinsville, is being charged with one count of murder and possession of a firearm. According to the Belleville Police Department, officers responded to the 5500 block of Belleville Crossing shortly before 4 p.m. Police found a 20-year-old man with a gunshot injury. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries. The man killed was identified as Montavion Conrad, 20, from Belleville. A preliminary investigation points to Molton and an underage girl mistakenly ordering food from the Wingstop in Belleville instead of the one in Collinsville. When they arrived at the Wingstop in Belleville Crossings, they encountered Conrad. Conrad was an employee at the Qdoba in the shopping plaza. Molton and Conrad began arguing regarding past relationship issues. Conrad approached the car where the suspect and the girl were. At this point, Molton shot Conrad and fled the scene with the girl. Witnesses at the scene identified a car that was soon located. The occupants in the car fled from the police and eventually crashed in the 6600 block of Old St. Louis Road. Two people fled from the car, and a perimeter was set to search. Molton and the girl were found less than an hour after the shooting. Since then, the girl was released to her parents. The suspect remains in custody.
Nashville Firefighter Dies After Overnight Medical Emergency
HERMITAGE, TN — A routine overnight shift at a Hermitage fire hall turned tragic early Tuesday when a Nashville firefighter suffered a medical episode and later died, officials said. The firefighter, identified by the Nashville Fire Department as Wayne Barry Jr., experienced a medical emergency at the Andrew Jackson Parkway fire hall and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Metro Nashville Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Driver identified, charged with intoxication manslaughter after tow truck driver killed on I‑20 in Dallas, deputies say
DALLAS, TX — Authorities have identified the driver accused of fatally striking a tow truck driver assisting a motorist on the shoulder of Interstate 20 on Wednesday afternoon near Spur 408 and Mountain Creek Parkway. Selvin Omar Amador Morazan was arrested for intoxication manslaughter, a second‑degree felony, after the victim was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, deputies responded to the crash at 3:43 p.m. after a witness at a nearby gas station reported that a man had just been hit by a vehicle. When deputies arrived, they found the 66‑year‑old tow truck driver, Guillermo Garcia, unconscious but breathing on the right shoulder with severe head injuries. He had been helping a 59‑year‑old man change a flat tire on the shoulder, the affidavit said. The tow truck driver was standing on the left side of his tow truck — still fully on the shoulder — when a silver SUV swerved onto the shoulder and struck both him and the truck, according to the affidavit. The tow truck driver was taken to Methodist Central Hospital in critical condition, where he died from his injuries, authorities said.
Man Dies After 35-Foot Fall Onto Church Pews
KANKAKEE, IL — A man died after falling approximately 35 feet onto church pews inside a Kankakee sanctuary. According to authorities, the man was pronounced deceased Wednesday afternoon at a local hospital following the incident earlier in the day. Authorities said first responders were dispatched just before 11:30 a.m. to the First Church of the Nazarene at 1000 N Entrance Ave for reports of a fall. Upon arrival, crews found a man suffering from severe trauma after falling from a man lift inside the sanctuary. According to authorities, the man, identified as a church member, had been using the lift to inspect damage from last week’s storm when the equipment tipped over, causing him to fall onto church pews below. He was transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The man’s name has not yet been released pending notification of family members.
Tyler police release identity of truck driver killed in Toll 49 crash
TYLER, TX — The Tyler Police Department has released the name of a truck driver who was killed Tuesday morning in a head-on collision with another 18-wheeler. The deceased driver has been identified as Tammy Lee Asher, 59, of Beaumont. Officers responded to the crash on Toll 49 after Asher, who was driving westbound, veered into the eastbound lanes, where she crashed into another 18-wheeler. TPD said Asher was found dead at the scene. The driver of the other truck suffered minor injuries and was checked by EMS. Loop 49 between Old Jacksonville Highway and Highway 69 was closed for several hours.
47-year-old Idaho mayor dies after collapsing at town hall event
NAMPA, ID — A 47-year-old Idaho mayor died after collapsing during a town hall on Wednesday evening. Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam suffered a “medical emergency” at the regional town hall with neighboring city officials and died shortly after, the city’s government confirmed in a statement late that night. Hogaboam was sworn in on Jan. 5 and was only a few months into his first term as mayor at the time of his death. Prior to his election as mayor, Hogaboam served as a Canyon County clerk and Nampa city councilman.
Semi-truck driver killed in 4-vehicle crash on I-70
HIGGINSVILLE, MO — A semi-truck driver is dead after a 4-vehicle crash on I-70 near Higginsville. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the crash involved three semi-trucks and one passenger car. According to Kansas City Scout, the incident happened just before 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, near Missouri Route H on westbound I-70. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Two Firefighters Killed in OK Tanker Rollover
MCCLAIN COUNTY, OK — Two volunteer firefighters with the Goldsby Fire Department died early Friday morning while responding to a structure fire. According to a statement from the town of Goldsby, Bryan Jenkins, 64, and Todd Pendleton, 62, died in a motor vehicle accident while operating a fire department tanker. Jenkins was a 35-year veteran firefighter and has served Cleveland County since 1987, according to a press release from Alyse Moore, director of communications for Cleveland County. Pendleton was a 12-year veteran firefighter.
Driver charged as video shows speeding SUV plow into delivery workers in Harlem, killing 1
HARLEM, NY — The driver of an SUV was arrested and charged after video showed his SUV speeding down a busy street in Harlem, hitting and killing a delivery driver. Shocking new surveillance video shows an SUV speed on a busy Harlem thoroughfare and plow into two delivery workers on bikes, one of whom died as a result, police said. The vehicle can be seen on the video zooming down West 125th Street just after 8 p.m. Thursday night, speeding past other cars and barreling through the bike lane. The driver then struck the two bicyclists in a collision that was so violent, one of the workers went flying in the air. As the SUV goes by in an instant, a number of people on the sidewalk were understandably startled, including two in the video who jumped out of the way and fell to the ground. The speeding car continued its rampage, striking an unoccupied NYPD vehicle and then a tractor-trailer before finally coming to a stop. In all, one worker was killed and four other people were hurt; the other worker on a bike suffered critical injuries. The delivery worker killed was identified as 28-year-old Darly Zacarías, of the Bronx.
Coroner identifies concrete truck driver killed in Oconee County crash
OCONEE COUNTY, SC — The South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) reported a fatal crash in Oconee County on Monday morning. Troopers said a Mack concrete truck was traveling south on Friendship Road near Rodeo Drive when it veered off the right side of the roadway and overturned around 9:06 a.m. The driver died at the scene. The Oconee County Coroner’s Office identified the driver as Robert James Maxwell of Hartwell, Georgia.
Tampa truck driver killed in crash involving train in Polk County: deputies
POLK COUNTY, FL — A collision between a truck and train left a Tampa truck driver dead on Thursday, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said. The crash happened around 6:30 p.m. on the train tracks off Kathleen Road, near Spivey Road in northwest Lakeland. The sheriff’s office said a Mack truck driver, identified as 50-year-old Orlando Lugo, appeared to accelerate in an attempt to cross the tracks before the train arrived. “As Lugo sped up, the truck made it about halfway across the tracks before being struck,” the sheriff’s office said. “The impact separated the trailer from the cab; the cab was thrown northwest and rolled several times, while the trailer continued a short distance north before coming to rest on the opposite side of the train.” Deputies said Lugo was not wearing a seatbelt and was partially ejected from the truck. No airbags deployed.
Minnetonka Deputy Fire Marshal Shawn Johnson dies after 2-year battle with job-related cancer
Minnetonka, MN — Deputy Fire Marshal Shawn Johnson, 61, died March 5 after a two-year battle with job-related cancer, the Minnetonka Fire Department announced. Johnson served the department for 20 years in a variety of roles, including paid-on-call firefighter lieutenant, training captain, full-time fire inspector and deputy fire marshal. Colleagues described him as a meticulous investigator and a committed trainer who brought humor and patience to his work. The Minnetonka Fire Department classified Johnson’s death as a line-of-duty death. Memorial contributions have been requested to the Minnesota Fire Service Foundation, MNFIRE or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.