How workers died last week: Seven highway construction workers were killed on the road last week. Also falls, electrocutions, oil field, tree trimming, skid steer incident, rollovers, crane malfunction, stabbing, farming, tree care 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.
Crane malfunction results in death of 1 construction worker on I-79 bridge, WVSP say
FAIRMONT, WV — The West Virginia State Police have released more information following the I-79 bridge accident that resulted in the death of one person on Tuesday morning. Originally, 911 officials reported to 5 News that a vehicle accident had been the cause of the incident. The West Virginia State Police, however, later released information stating that a crane malfunction was the cause. According to a press release from the West Virginia State Police, a trooper responded to a report of an industrial accident on the I-79, mile marker 142.5 bridge, over White Day Creek Road at approximately 9:45 A.M. While on scene, troopers determined that a heavy crane malfunction caused concrete barriers to hit three of the workers and knock them off of the bridge. One worker, identified as Mickey W. Swisher, 30, of Morgantown, died at the scene. The other two individuals were transported to the hospital.
Three Construction Workers Killed in I-10 Crash Near Blythe
BLYTHE, CA — Three construction workers were killed Friday morning in a chain-reaction crash involving a big rig on eastbound Interstate 10 near Intake Boulevard in Blythe, according to the California Highway Patrol. The collision was reported about 5:17 a.m. east of Intake Boulevard. CHP investigators said a big rig traveling east struck a parked attenuator construction vehicle and an unoccupied Chevrolet Silverado before colliding with a water truck. During the sequence of events, three construction workers were struck and suffered fatal injuries, the CHP said. Authorities identified two of the victims as 27-year-old Christopher Benavides Guatemala and 50-year-old Alfonso Vega Torres, both of Coachella. The third victim was identified as 39-year-old Francisco Morales Mendoza of Tonopah, Arizona.
Ronnie Franklin, the Road Construction Worker Struck by a Suspected Drunk Driver Last Week, Has Succumbed to His Injuries
EUREKA, CA — Ronnie Franklin, the 20-year-old McKinleyville man who was struck by a suspected drunk driver on Wednesday night while working in a Caltrans construction zone in Eureka, died Saturday afternoon at U.C. Davis Medical Center due to complications from emergency surgery.Many members of Franklin’s family and friends made the trip to Sacramento to be near him as he underwent multiple surgeries. A pair of fundraisers, here and here, were established to support the family financially. After a series of medical ups and downs, Franklin suffered a setback and went into a coma before passing away, according to his aunt, Melissa Hall.
Transportation worker, 60, hit and killed by DUI driver while working on interstate, police say
FAIRFIELD, CT — A transportation worker in Connecticut has died after he was hit by a car while doing road maintenance work on Interstate 95. State officials said Connecticut Department of Transportation employee Elvin Hernandez, 60, was hit Friday morning while working by a 2006 Buick Lucerne. According to Connecticut State Police, the crash occurred on I-95 near Exit 20 in Fairfield after they received calls about a vehicle driving erratically. Police said Hernandez was a passenger in a Department of Transportation F-350 dump truck that was parked on the right shoulder. He had just exited the truck for debris removal when the Buick, being driven by Edward Myers, entered the grassy shoulder behind the truck and hit Hernandez. Hernandez, who had worked for the transportation department since 2010, was taken to a nearby hospital, but he did not survive his injuries.
Grand Rapids construction worker killed by backing semi-truck
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A flagging foreman died Tuesday, Sept. 22, after he was struck by a backing truck at a Grand Rapids construction site. According to a preliminary fatality report from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the 27-year-old was helping guide a semi-truck and trailer during asphalt work when he was struck at approximately 8:25 a.m. Police described the truck as fully loaded.
Construction worker killed in hit-and-run crash, authorities say
MADISON, WI — A construction worker was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Madison, Wisconsin. According to the Madison Police Department, the crash happened on Pflaum Road at about 1:10 p.m. Thursday, in front of Sennett Middle School. Madison police said the worker was doing road work when they were hit. Police confirmed that speed appeared to be a factor. The worker’s identity has not been released.
Log truck driver killed in crash
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FL — The driver of a log truck was killed Monday afternoon when his vehicle veered off the road, hit a pickup truck, then crashed into a power pole and a tree before overturning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crash happened about 3:44 p.m. on U.S. Highway 29 just south of North Barth Road, according to the FHP. The rig was northbound on U.S. 29 when it traveled northwest off the road and into the grassy median, authorities said. The rig crossed the southbound lanes of the highway, hitting the southbound pickup truck before careening into a ditch off the west shoulder of the road, striking a power pole and a tree and overturning onto its side, troopers said. The 66-year-old Milton, Florida, man was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Authorities did not release the victim’s name.
Man dies after being crushed by skid steer in Sandy
SANDY, UT — A man is dead after being crushed by a skid steer. On September 20, around 1 p.m., Sandy City Police Department (SCPD) received reports of an incident in the area of 11000 S and 1500 E. The initial report stated that there had been an incident involving a skid steer. A man, identified only as being in his late 50s, was reportedly assisting in moving the skid steer, when he was crushed by the bucket, sustaining serious injuries. First responders attempted to provide life-saving measures, and the man was transported to the local hospital. Unfortunately, despite medical aid, Police confirmed the individual died as a result of his injuries.
Miner Killed in Carbon Monoxide Incident
Graham, TX — Guss McComack, 38, was killed in a carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning incident at the Springfield Pit causing him to fall from a feeder onto the ground below.
Man killed in reported workplace accident at Grand Rapids railyard
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A man has died after a reported workplace accident in a railyard on the southwest side of Grand Rapids. According to the city, the Grand Rapids police and fire departments were called to 949 Freeman Ave. SW on Monday, Sept. 21. Employees at the site reportedly located their co-worker after he’d been run over by a railcar. The man, who has not been identified, was declared dead at the scene.
Pilots killed in Yosemite Dome Fire helicopter crash identified
MARIPOSA COUNTY, CA — Two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed Sunday afternoon while conducting water drops on a wildfire at Yosemite National Park, officials say. They have been identified as Greg King and Ryan Cutter, according to their contract aircraft company Precision. The pilots were contracted by California Incident Management Team 3 to assist with firefighting operations on the Dome Fire, which entered its sixth day of burning Monday. The two were the only people on board. They were working with a wildland firefighting crew that specializes in using ropes to descend from helicopters to reach otherwise inaccessible terrain, known as helitack rappelling.
Oil-gas worker killed in site incident in Jal
JAL, NM — A man has been killed after an accident at a natural gas midstream company site near Jal, New Mexico, on Friday, according to Marathon Petroleum Corporation. The unnamed man is said to have been a contractor who was working at an MPLX facility, when he was injured at the site “during an incident,” and was transported to a medical facility, where he was pronounced dead.
Police Investigate Fatal Single-Vehicle Crash
BOULDER, CO — Boulder Police are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred early this morning at the intersection of Foothills Parkway and Baseline Road. At approximately 1:45 a.m., a man driving a box truck northbound on Foothills Parkway struck a traffic pole at the southeast corner of the intersection. Tragically, the driver died at the scene. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Utility worker dies attempting to restore power following storm, authorities say
CURRY COUNTY, NM — A utility worker died Friday in New Mexico after being electrocuted while attempting to repair a utility pole. According to the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, sheriff’s deputies, along with the Clovis Fire Department, responded to a rural area near Curry Road 7 for a reported industrial accident. When crews arrived, rescuers said the employee was found in several feet of standing water, and they began rendering aid. The Farmer’s Electric Cooperative worker was transported by ambulance to Plains Regional Medical Center, but he did not survive his injuries. Officials identified the employee as lineman Ian Massey of Clovis.
27-year-old man dies in Oneida County after getting trapped in farm equipment
MARSHALL, NY- A 27-year-old man died Wednesday after becoming trapped in farm equipment in Oneida County, deputies said. Around 4:08 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a farm on Fuess Cleary Road in the Town of Marshall for a fatal farm accident, according to a news release from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. A preliminary investigation found that Hunter Cornelius, 27, had been working on a piece of farm equipment that was running when he became trapped in the equipment, deputies said. Cornelius was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.
Maumelle Waffle House employee dies after car drives into restaurant, driver arrested
MAUMELLE, AR — An employee at a Maumelle Waffle House died early Sunday morning after a car crashed into the restaurant. According to Maumelle Police, officers responded to the Waffle House at 20514 State Highway 365 after a vehicle reportedly drove into the restaurant around 12:25 on the morning of Sept. 27. One employee was injured and died from their injuries.
2 contractors killed in accident at Norfolk International Terminals, Port says
NORFOLK, VA — Two contractors have died following an accident while working at Norfolk International Terminals earlier this week, according to the Port of Virginia. The accident happened Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the terminal’s South Berth, where the two individuals were performing maintenance and repair work. Emergency crews were called to the scene, and both contractors were taken to local hospitals. On Friday afternoon, the Port of Virginia confirmed that both individuals had died.
Coroner shares identity of semi driver killed in crash near Mendon
ADAMS COUNTY, IL — We now know the identity of the semi truck driver who was killed in a fiery Adams County crash early Thursday morning. Adams County Coroner Scott Graham has now identified 61-year-old Ahmet Trashani of Batavia, Illinois, as the driver pronounced dead on the scene of the rollover semi crash on Highway 336, south of the Adams County Fairgrounds near Mendon.
Worker Dies After Falling From Scaffolding In Boston: Report
BOSTON, MA — A father of four died after falling from scaffolding while working on a home in Jamaica Plain Thursday afternoon, according to a report from Boston 25 News. The man, who was reportedly in his late 40s, was working between the second and third floors of a triple-decker on Weld Hill Street near Hyde Park Avenue when he fell to the ground shortly before 3 p.m. Boston Fire Department technical rescue companies were called to the scene following the fall.
Truck Flies Off I-84 Overpass in Greenville, Killing Miami Driver, 54
MIAMI, FL — A tractor-trailer driver from Miami was killed at 12:39 a.m. Friday, September 25, when his rig veered off Interstate 84 in the Town of Greenville, launched off an overpass and landed upside down on the road beneath it. Alexander Vazquez-Martinez, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash near Exit 4 in rural Orange County.
Georgia DNR sergeant dies after possible medical episode while on duty
ATLANTA, GA — The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is mourning the death of a longtime law enforcement officer who died after a possible medical episode while on duty. Sergeant Ben Cunningham, a 27-year veteran of the department, died while participating in a Law Enforcement Division physical fitness program in Rome, according to DNR.
Long Island Tree Trimmer Killed In Electrical Accident: Cops
BELLMORE, NY — A Long Island tree trimmer was killed in an electrical accident Thursday, Sept. 24, police said. The man was cutting down a tree on Tanwood Court in Bellmore around 5:30 p.m. Thursday when things went awry, the Nassau County Police Department said. As he was cutting, a downed limb struck an electrical line, authorities said. That caused the tree to become energized, electrocuting the man, police said. First responders arrived and pronounced the man dead at the scene. He has not been publicly identified, and an investigation is ongoing.
Man dies at McCordsville construction site
MCCORDSVILLE, IN — A man is dead after an incident at a McCordsville construction site in the 6800 block of West 750 North. The McCordsville Police Department said Thursday an officer dispatched to the area at about 10 a.m. Tuesday found a man had suffered severe injuries at the construction site and began life-saving measures until members of the Vernon Township Fire Department arrived and took over medical care. The man, identified as Estan Schmitt, 22, was working for Weihe Construction at the time of his injuries, police said. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died.
Alaska hunting guide and teen employee named as victims in fatal plane crash east of Nabesna
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, AK — Cabot Pitts was owner of Alaska Wildwind Adventures and president of the Alaska Professional Hunters Association. He died in a plane crash Sept. 17, 2026, according to Alaska State Troopers. A hunting guide and his teenage employee died in a plane crash after taking off Thursday from a dirt airstrip in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The crash killed Palmer resident Cabot Pitts, 42, and Connor Helsel, 18, of Michigan, according to Alaska State Troopers, who released their names Tuesday Pitts was owner of Alaska Wildwind Adventures and president of the Alaska Professional Hunters Association, the group said in a Facebook post that described Pitts as a father and husband. Helsel was the son of a pastor and had traveled to Alaska to work for Pitts. Pitts was moving Helsel from one hunting camp to another when the plane went down a little before 8 p.m. Thursday, said Millicent Hill, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board and chief of the agency’s Alaska region. Hill put the location of the crash about 50 miles east of Nabesna near Snag Creek. There were no eye witnesses to the crash and no early indications as to what caused it, said Hill, who planned to travel to the crash site Wednesday. Since August, 16 people have died in plane crashes in Alaska.
US 287 lanes closed in Fort Worth after fatal dumpster truck overpass crash
FORT WORTH, TX — Texas Department of Transportation officials hope to reopen U.S. Highway 287 by Friday morning, though structural repairs to a bridge damaged in a fatal dumpster truck crash will take much longer. The crash occurred at 6:13 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Highway 287 and Erath Street. According to the Fort Worth Police Department, a dumpster truck left the roadway and crashed into a bridge support pillar, snapping a concrete support. One occupant was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene, while a second man was taken to an area hospital in critical condition. The impact forced the closure of U.S. 287 in both directions, routing drivers onto service roads. Southbound traffic has been forced to exit at Berry Street, and northbound traffic has been diverted at Miller Avenue. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the single-vehicle crash. Drivers are advised to continue seeking alternate routes around the corridor. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner has identified the deceased victim as 33-year-old Tyler Bradley Shivers.
17-year-old Pa. junior firefighter killed in e-bike crash while responding to call
GIRARD, PA — A 17-year-old Pennsylvania junior firefighter died after his e-bike collided with a vehicle while he was responding to an emergency call. The Dobler Hose & Ladder Company in Girard identified the teenager as Junior Firefighter Bryce Kaufmann. The department remembered him as a dedicated junior firefighter with a strong commitment to helping others. Police said Kaufmann was riding south on Culbertson Drive when he failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with the front passenger side of a sedan. The impact ejected him from the e-bike. Kaufmann died from his injuries on Sept. 21.
19-year-old charged in crash that killed Uber driver, injured passenger in Oak Park
OAK PARK, MI — A 19-year-old driver has been charged after he allegedly drove through a traffic light at an Oak Park intersection, resulting in a deadly crash. The crash happened at the intersection of eastbound Eight Mile Road and Coolidge Highway at around 11 p.m. on Sept. 17. According to police, Tracy Darwin Sutton, 19, was driving a Dodge Charger through the intersection and crashed into an Uber driver in a Buick Envision. Surveillance video shows the Buick driver had the right of way, investigators said. The driver of the Buick was extricated from the car, while the Uber driver’s passenger, identified as a 23-year-old man, was ejected during the crash. When first responders arrived, the passenger was lying on the roadway, conscious and breathing. The Uber driver was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died, police said, and the 23-year-old remains in critical condition.
Driver of semi-truck dead after crash with RV in St. Joseph County
MOTTVILLE TOWNSHIP, MI — A semi-truck driver is dead after rear-ending a travel trailer, or RV, Tuesday morning in St. Joseph County, according to Michigan State Police (MSP). The driver of the semi, a 75-year-old man from Elkhart, Indiana, was reportedly going east on US-12 when he rear-ended the RV, which was stopped at a traffic signal controlling a one-lane construction zone, according to MSP. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Man killed by tractor-trailer after crash on Hwy 78, DeKalb police say
DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A man was killed early Wednesday morning after being struck by a tractor-trailer on Highway 78 in DeKalb County, according to police. DeKalb County Police Department officers responded around 1:44 a.m. to reports of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle on Highway 78 eastbound, just past Mountain Industrial Boulevard. When officers arrived on scene, they found a man who had died at the scene. Authorities said the man was driving eastbound on Highway 78 when he lost control of his vehicle, crashed into a guardrail, and came to a stop across multiple travel lanes. Police added the driver exited his vehicle and was standing next to it when a tractor-trailer hit both him and his disabled car.
Cambridge Police Captain dies while on duty
CAMBRIDGE, MD — The Cambridge Police Department announced one of their Captains, Capt. Ronald “Shane” Hinson, died Monday while on duty. They say he served the city with dedication for over 27 years. They say Captain Hinson was more than a colleague, he was “a friend, mentor, and valued member” of the Cambridge Police Department. Officials say he leaves behind a wife and five children.
Employee dies after getting pinned between door machines at Cleveland-Cliffs plant in Monessen
MONESSEN, PA — An employee was killed in an apparent workplace accident Sunday at the Cleveland-Cliffs coke plant in Monessen. A Westmoreland County 911 supervisor says first responders were dispatched to the plant at 4:15 p.m. The employee became “pinned between two door machines,” according to the Westmoreland County Office of the Coroner. Jeffrey Smith, 53, of Newell, was pronounced dead, the coroner’s office says. His cause and manner of death are pending autopsy and toxicology results. Monessen police and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.
Houston man dies after truck he was working on rolls over him during attempted repair
HOUSTON, TX — Houston police said a man died after the truck he was attempting to repair rolled backward onto him Friday night. The incident happened just before 10 p.m. Friday on Long Point Road in Spring Branch. Authorities said the truck started having mechanical problems while its driver was headed home. Once arriving home, the driver’s brother attempted to repair it. The truck could not be placed in park and rolled backward onto the man. The Houston Fire Department tried to save the man before he was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
NYCHA handyman killed by storm known as ‘Mr. Fix-it,’ died working overtime — how teary locals recognized body
BROOKLYN, NY — The tragic NYCHA handyman killed by a falling tree in Brooklyn was known as “Mr. Fix-it” and working overtime when he died in his brown rain boots, which tearful residents recognized his body by. Devoted public-housing maintenance man Leighton Brown, 56, generously helped scores of tenants in the Cypress Hills Houses over more than a decade on the job, residents said. Tenant Kevin Duran said his friend Brown recently came by to change a shower head and told him a secret. “He said, ‘Kev, don’t tell anybody yet because I haven’t talked to all my people here,’” Duran said. “He said, ‘I just got my transfer approved and I just got my promotion. This is my last week here.’ That’s what he said to me.” The good-natured jack-of-all-trades continued working Saturday even as a devastating nor’easter descended with winds that knocked down several trees in the development — including the one that killed him. A resident who identified herself as “Ms. Henry” told The Post on Sunday that she saw Brown that morning working overtime outside his regular shift and wearing his knee-high brown rain boots amid the appalling weather. At least three other trees fell in the NYCHA development, where crews worked to clear them Sunday and tenants grappled with the loss of their “Mr. Brown.” Brown had family back in the island of Jamaica and a son in Connecticut, who was expected to arrive Monday, residents said.
Man charged with first-degree murder in stabbing death of Detroit Chipotle worker Jaquoya Wix
DETROIT, MI — Devon Jason Watson, 42, faces one count of premeditated first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Jaquoya Wix, a 34-year-old Chipotle employee and mother who was killed last Sunday behind a downtown Detroit restaurant. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced the charge Wednesday. “It is alleged that this defendant, Mr. Watson, approached the victim when she was sitting in the alley and stabbed her multiple times with a knife. These two people did not know each other, and Mr. Watson then fled the scene,” Worthy said in a Wednesday press conference. Watson appeared before a magistrate Wednesday. Wix was taking a break in an alleyway near the restaurant when the attack occurred in broad daylight. The attack may have been captured in its entirety on video, according to information revealed in court.
Parsippany employee found dead inside town hall office, police say
PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS, N.J.— Parsippany Tax Collector Terrence Whalen was found dead inside an office at Town Hall late Wednesday night, according to police. Parsippany Police Detective Lt. Brian Conover told RNJ that the department’s Communications Center received a 911 call at approximately 10:30 p.m. Sept. 23 reporting an unresponsive man at Parsippany Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Blvd. The caller was an employee of the cleaning service contracted by town hall, Conover said. Responding officers found 59-year-old township employee Terrence Whalen unresponsive inside an office. Whalen was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Police said there is no indication of foul play at this time.