How workers died last week: mining, firefighting, electrocutions, tree trimming, rollovers, entrapment, and drowning, shootings, stabbings and vehicular 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.
Nashua Man Identified As Victim Of Bedford Paving Accident
BEDFORD, NH — A routine paving project turned tragic Monday morning after a 67-year-old Nashua man was fatally injured on the job. Family members have identified the victim as Roger Hanson, a veteran crew member who died from his injuries following an accident on Maiden Lane. Hanson was working with several crew members on a residential driveway when a paving roller struck him. Emergency responders provided immediate medical treatment at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
N.J. factory worker dies after being trapped inside mechanical equipment, cops say
SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — A worker died Saturday after being trapped inside mechanical equipment at a paving stone company’s plant in Sussex County, according to police. Sparta Township police officers were dispatched to Nicolock Paving Stones on the 400 block of Houses Corner Road for a report of a medical emergency involving a worker, the department said. Township police identified the employee as a 40-year-old man, saying he suffered serious injuries. Coworkers removed him from the equipment before officers reached the scene, police said.
Miner killed in incident at Kanawha County site
KANAWHA COUNTY, WV — A miner had died following an incident at a Kanawha County mine site Thursday. Travis Price, a 24-year veteran in the industry, was killed in an incident at the American Eagle Mine in Kanawha County, according to a statement from West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s Office.
Worker died from injuries suffered in Johnstown Galleria fall
Cambria, PA — A man died after falling at a construction site in Western Pennsylvania. Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees has ruled the death of 32-year-old Nelson Tellez accidental. Lees said Tellez died of multiple blunt force trauma caused by the fall at the Johnstown Galleria construction site Saturday. The coroner’s office will notify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Tuesday because the death was job-related. Toxicology results are pending. Lees says Tellez is from Mexico and was residing in Richland Township.
Firefighter killed, 2 others hurt fighting massive fire in North Carolina
DURHAM, NC — A firefighter was killed and two others were injured while battling a fire in central North Carolina, officials said. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirmed the death of Durham firefighter Andrew Brokes and the injuries in an Oct. 8 social media post.
Council Bluffs firefighter dies after suffering medical emergency at fire scene
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA — The Council Bluffs Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of their own. The City of Council Bluffs said in a news release that Firefighter/EMT Charles Jones died Thursday as the result of a medical emergency he suffered while responding to a fire on Monday.
Texas firefighter dies in rollover crash responding to fire
BUCKHOLTS, TX — A Buckholts volunteer firefighter has died following a single-vehicle rollover crash, according to a statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Firefighter Rick Joseph Fuentes was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Greg Hoelscher, KWTX reported. According to DPS, the Buckholts Volunteer Fire Department truck was responding to a vehicle and grass fire in Holland when the crash occurred.
2 killed in Lea County pipeline explosion
LEA COUNTY, NM – Two people were killed after a pipeline explosion and fire in Lea County, New Mexico on Tuesday. Lea County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched at about 1:04 p.m. on Tuesday to an industrial accident near Highway 176 and Bootleg Road, according to the Lea County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies found two people dead on scene. Investigators began looking into the pipeline explosion and resulting fire, they say this is believed to be an isolated incident. The identities of the two people who died have not been released.
Tree trimmer dies in Bonita after becoming trapped in tree
SAN DIEGO, CA — Fire crews rescued a person who became trapped while trimming a tree Sunday morning in Bonita. Officials from the Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Protection District said the person was pronounced dead at the scene. Crews initially responded to a report of a tree trimmer who was trapped and unresponsive approximately 35 to 40 feet above ground near the 3900 block of Horton Road in Bonita.
NY construction worker killed after he’s submerged during water main break near Long Island’s largest mall
NASSAU COUNTY, NY — A 56-year-old New York construction worker was killed when he became submerged during a water main break near Long Island’s largest mall on Friday morning. Rafael Peralta, of Babylon, was working the line underneath Ring Road outside the Roosevelt Field mall in East Garden City when the water enveloped him at around 11:13 a.m., according to News12 and Nassau County police. Peralta’s coworkers hoisted him out of the hole after he became submerged before first responders administered “life-saving measures” at the scene. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Employee dies at chemical plant in Iberville Parish, investigation underway
BATON ROUGE, LA — Westlake Corporation is investigating an incident where an employee experienced a medical emergency on Saturday October 3 and later died. Westlake Corporation told WAFB the employee was found unresponsive in the unit, and emergency response teams provided first aid around 7:44pm. The employee was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Westlake said it is conducting a thorough investigation and will cooperate with all appropriate authorities. The WAFB I-TEAM combed through inspection reports at that Plaquemine facility and found two different fines that OSHA imposed on the facility recently. In March of 2025, Westlake was cited by OSHA because “the employer did not report the in-patient hospitalization of an employee to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration within the 24-hour reporting period.” That incident where they were fined happened on September 27, 2024. Later that same year, Westlake was fined by OSHA again for a problem in February 2025.
San Francisco security guard shot dead at Warfield in front of family
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A security guard at San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre was shot and killed in front of his family early Saturday, according to the victim’s relatives. Ulysses Davis, 47, known to friends and family as “Bear,” was helping escort a “rowdy” woman from the theater at Market and Taylor streets at about 1 a.m. when she allegedly fired a gun at him, striking him in the back, said Terrance Cooper, Davis’ brother-in-law.
Eagle Rock, VA, Assistant Fire Chief Dies of Injuries Suffered a Decade Ago
EAGLE ROCK, VA — An Eagle Rock assistant fire chief has died of injuries suffered during a swift water rescue a decade ago. Assistant Chief Alan “Bubba” Wright was swept away by fast-moving water while assisting with rescue efforts after the area suffered extreme flooding in 2016. Fire Chief Darryl Jones told WDBJ shortly after the incident that he initially didn’t know who had been the current’s victim. “When I got him to the shore and saw the face,” Jones said. It’s unclear how long Wright was under, but he was in cardiac arrest. Fellow firefighters initiated CPR, and resuscitated him. He died this past weekend.
One dead, one sent to hospital following fight between two delivery workers
LOGAN COUNTY, OK — One person was shot and killed and another person was stabbed during a fight between two delivery workers on Monday morning. Investigators said the two men worked for the same third-party delivery company. The Logan County Sheriff’s Office said the man who was shot and killed is 25-year-old William Conway III. The man who was stabbed is 28-year-old Marquelle McCray. He was taken to the hospital.
Worker Killed After Being Run Over by Front-End Loader in Shreveport, Louisiana
SHREVEPORT, LA — On October 5, 2026, a 40-year-old worker was killed after being run over by a front-end loader at an industrial worksite in the 2700 block of East 70th Street in west Shreveport, Louisiana. The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office said the worker was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 7:48 p.m. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal industrial accident, and an autopsy has been ordered. He was later identified to be Antonio Harper, of Princeton.
Road worker, 24, dies after being hit by 2 trucks in work zone crash, troopers say
BENTON TWP., MI — A road worker was killed while on the job Tuesday afternoon in Michigan. According to Michigan State Police, troopers were called around 2:30 p.m. to Lansing Road near Nixon Road for a reported crash in a roadwork zone. Road crews had temporarily closed Lansing Road to northbound traffic for construction work, officials said. Flag workers were directing traffic while road commission trucks were parked at the scene. Troopers said the crash occurred when a pickup truck was stopped on Lansing Road at the direction of a flagger, and a Kenworth sanitation truck, unable to stop while approaching the pickup, struck the back of the pickup. The impact pushed the two trucks into an unoccupied road commission truck. Authorities said the 24-year-old worker, who was directing traffic, attempted to avoid the trio of trucks but was hit by the pickup and the sanitation truck. The flagger was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police who called the crash heartbreaking.
Man killed in workplace accident at Louisville steel facility Wednesday morning identified by coroner
LOUISVILLE, KY — A man who died in an early Wednesday morning workplace accident has been identified by the Jefferson County Coroner. According to Deputy Coroner Dan Alpiger, the accident happened at 2:24 a.m. at Siskin Steel and Supplies in the 700 block of Port Road. The coroner’s report says that 44-year-old Robert McCandless died from multiple blunt force injuries at 3:25 a.m. at UofL Hospital.
Family identifies 20-year-old father killed in Durant railcar derailment
DURANT, OK — Family members have identified the man killed Wednesday in a railcar derailment in Durant as 20-year-old Axel Hernandez. Hernandez was loading a railcar when it began moving toward an active railroad track, according to the Durant Police Department. Police said the railcar hit a derail device, which is designed to stop uncontrolled rail equipment from entering an active track, causing it to derail. Hernandez died at the scene. His loved ones described him as a hard worker and loving father to two children.
Worker Dies After Landscaping Truck Rolls On Top Of Him
BLUAVELT, NY — A deadly workplace accident is being investigated in Rockland County. A 68-year-old man died Thursday morning after a vehicle incident on Bradley Parkway in Blauvelt. Police responded to Bradley Parkway at about 8:21 a.m. on Oct. 8, for a reported motor vehicle accident. When patrol officers arrived at the scene, they found the man unresponsive and pinned under a Ford F350 pickup truck. Emergency medical personnel responded, where the victim was pronounced dead.
Man dies after excavating equipment overturns in Lake County pond
CONCORD TOWNSHIP, OH — Authorities are investigating a deadly excavating accident that happened in Lake County on Wednesday morning. According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a private property in the area of Saint Andrew’s Way just after 10:30 a.m. Through the investigation, deputies learned that the victim, a 52-year-old Painesville man, was behind the home operating a Kubota mini excavator when the machinery slid down an embankment and flipped over in a pond, trapping the man under it. The sheriff’s office dive team used mechanical equipment to lift the excavator from the pond, but investigators said the man died from his injuries.
Employee Killed in Shootout at Florence-Graham Pot Shop ID’d
FLORENCE-GRAHAM, CA — Authorities Saturday released the name of an employee who was shot to death at a marijuana dispensary in the unincorporated Florence-Graham area near South Los Angeles. The fatal shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. Thursday at a dispensary in the 2000 block of Nadeau Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The victim was identified as 33-year-old Martin Gudines, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office.
Brevard County agent Kevin Morris killed in fiery wrong-way crash
MIMS, FL — A Brevard County agent and a wrong-way driver were killed in a fiery, head-on crash late Saturday on Interstate 95 near Mims, authorities said. Agent Kevin Morris, 55, was en route to the scene of a shooting involving a deputy when his vehicle was struck, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said during a news conference.
Man dies after being found under bus at Orange County work site, deputies say
ORANGE COUNTY, FL — A man was killed Thursday morning after being found under a bus by his co-workers at a worksite, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said. It happened Thursday at Phoenix Bus, a charter company on 37th Street. The victim, a man in his 60s, was working on the bus when he ended up pinned underneath. He extricated before crews arrived and was transported to a hospital, where he later died, deputies said. The sheriff’s office is investigating the death. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is also investigating the work conditions surrounding the incident.
26-year-old worker dies after electrical incident at Southern California facility
ALHAMBRA, CA — A 26-year-old contract worker died after suffering an apparent electrical injury at a Southern California Edison facility in Alhambra Wednesday evening, authorities said. Officers with the Alhambra Police Department responded to the facility at 501 S. Marengo Ave. around 7:10 p.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person following an electrical incident. When officers arrived, Alhambra firefighters were already performing lifesaving measures on the worker, who police said was injured while carrying out his duties at the facility. The man was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
1 worker killed, 1 injured in Dalton accident
DALTON, GA — A construction worker is dead and another in critical condition after the utility pole they were installing fell into power lines. Officials say 44-year-old Glenn Stone of Chatsworth was killed in the accident at a shopping center Monday in Dalton. Fifty-four-year-old Jerry Shelton is at the Joseph M.
Apex sanitation worker killed in apparent garbage truck accident
APEX, NC — The Wake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident that left a sanitation worker dead on Tuesday. Deputies responded around 9:20 a.m. to the 5400 block of Lower Creek Court and found a man who had been severely injured by a garbage truck. The sheriff’s office said the man died at the scene. He was identified as 35-year-old William Young, an employee of the sanitation company. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) responded at the request of the sheriff’s o
Philadelphia officer killed in ambush shooting ID’d, another wounded; suspect charged with murder
PHILADELPHIA, PA — A suspect has been charged with murder after an ambush shooting in Philadelphia early Saturday morning left one police officer dead and another seriously injured. Officer Shane Seiber, 40, a 10-year veteran of the force, died at the hospital after being shot three times in West Philadelphia. Commissioner Kevin Bethel said Seiber’s wife and other family members were able to be by his side before he passed.
17-year-old McDonald’s employee stabbed to death in bathroom, juvenile co-worker detained
HARRIS COUNTY, TX — A late-night shift at a McDonald’s in Harris County ended in tragedy Wednesday night when a 17-year-old employee was stabbed to death inside the restaurant, and another juvenile employee was detained in connection with the killing, authorities said. The victim was later identified to be Reginald Harrell.
Trucker killed in I-55 crash
TURRELL, AR — A Hayti man died when the semi-truck he was driving collided with another tractor-trailer rig on Interstate 55 in Turrell. Arkansas State Police said the crash happened at 12:18 p.m. Oct. 7 near the 21 mile marker in Crittenden County. Franklin Alan McArthur, 66, of Hayti was northbound when his 2012 Kenworth struck the back of a 2022 Peterbilt’s trailer that was stopped for traffic. ASP said McArthur’s truck left the roadway and struck a guardrail. McArthur died in the crash. The other driver was not injured.
Semi truck driver dies in I-10 rollover crash in Hudspeth County
EL PASO, TX — One person has died after a rollover crash involving a semi-truck in Hudspeth County early Wednesday morning, Oct. 7. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, 47-year-old Tony Ray Wade, the driver of the semi with a trailer, was traveling westbound on Interstate 10 when — for unknown reasons — he left the roadway and entered the outside shoulder. According to a news release, the semi caught on fire with Wade trapped inside. Wade was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene after enduring fatal injuries from the fire.
Two truck drivers cited for overweight violations in aftermath of crash that killed forklift operator, Ohio sheriff says
DARBY TOWNSHIP, FL — A forklift operator was killed in an incident involving a pair of commercial trucks in Union County, Ohio, this week. Shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the Union County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) responded to a 911 caller reporting that a person was injured after a semi truck struck a forklift on State Route 736 in Darby Township, Ohio. When police arrived at the scene, they found a 24-year-old male forklift operator lying near a ditch line after being ejected in a crash. The man was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Truck driver dies after plunging into Sunrise canal
SUNRISE, FL — A 64-year-old man died after crashing his truck through a wall and into a canal in Sunrise on Thursday afternoon, prompting a rescue effort involving firefighters and police officers, authorities said. According to fire rescue officials, the crash happened near West Oakland Park Boulevard and Northwest 94th Avenue, next to a stand-alone emergency room. According to the Sunrise Fire Chief John McNamara, two battalion chiefs arrived before dive teams and jumped into the canal without diving equipment to rescue the driver, who Sunrise police identified on Friday as Richard Wilson Harris.
Marine Dies After MARSOC Training Accident: ‘No Words Can Describe Heartbreak’
KEY WEST, FL — Garrett Pearson, a 30-year-old Marine captain and former Virginia Commonwealth University baseball player, has died following an accident during Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) training off South Florida. Maj. Johnny Henderson, of MARSOC, told Military.com on Friday that Pearson died Oct. 3 while participating as a student in Marine Raider training at Naval Air Station Key West.
25-year-old meat market employee killed in botched robbery-turned-shooting
BATON ROUGE, LA — A 25-year-old meat market employee was killed in a botched robbery-turned-shooting along Beechwood Drive, authorities told WBRZ on Thursday. Abdallahi Baba was shot at City Town Meat Market #3 near the corner of Beechwood Drive and Sycamore Street around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office said.
CTA Janitor Stabbed To Death At Green Line Station After Rider Maced Another Employee: Union
NEAR WEST SIDE, IL — A CTA janitor was stabbed to death while trying to intervene in a fare dispute after a rider sprayed a customer service assistant with mace Thursday at the Damen Green Line station, the worker’s labor union said. Julian Mobley, 41, was stabbed in the neck about 3 p.m. in the station’s mezzanine in the 2000 block of West Lake Street, according to Chicago police and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 308, the union that represents CTA workers. The attacker fled westbound, and Mobely was found unresponsive in a nearby room before being taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Truck driver dies after medical emergency leads to crash in Independence
KANSAS CITY, MO — A truck driver died after suffering a medical emergency that caused his truck to crash in Independence, police said. The Independence Police Department said officers responded around 11:37 a.m. to M-291 Highway and Gudgell Road. A preliminary investigation shows a 2026 Freightliner box truck was heading north on 291 when the driver had an apparent medical emergency, causing the truck to veer right and hit a roadway sign, police said. The truck then went westbound across all four lanes of the highway. Police say a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu was heading southbound and saw the truck crossing the road. The driver of the Malibu tried to accelerate and avoid the collision, however, the box truck hit the left rear portion of the Malibu. The truck driver was found unconscious at the scene and died at a local hospital. The death was attributed to the medical emergency, not the crash.
Police identify security guard killed in Crystal Pier shooting
CRYSTAL PIER, CA — San Diego police have identified an unarmed security guard who was fatally shot at Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach early Monday. Police said 31-year-old Luis Alberto Quiroz-Arreola died after he was shot shortly after 2 a.m. Monday on Ocean Boulevard. Police said employees at a nearby bar heard gunshots and ran outside where they found the critically injured victim. They began first aid, and paramedics took Quiroz-Arreola to the hospital, where he died.
Cayce city employee dies after medical emergency at work
CAYCE, SC — A City of Cayce employee died Monday morning after experiencing a medical emergency at work. Emergency personnel were called at 9 a.m., but the employee was pronounced dead at the scene. The employee’s identity is being withheld pending notification of family.ffice. The incident appeared to be a deadly workplace accident, but the investigation is ongoing.
Maine construction worker dies after excavator overturns at Gray site
GRAY, ME — A Maine man has died after the excavator he was operating at a work site in Gray overturned, according to authorities. John Woodman, 61, of Standish, was identified as the victim of Monday’s accident off of Bull Run Road.
Driver dies in crash involving two trucks on A1A in Indian River County
SOUTH BEACH, FL — The Florida Highway Patrol is at the scene of a deadly incident. According to FHP, the crash was reported on Monday, Oct. 5, at 4:35 p.m. near the intersection of State Road A1A and Regatta Drive in Vero Beach. A 53-year-old driver from Fort Pierce died in a collision between two trucks on A1A near Regatta Drive, according to Florida Highway Patrol. A Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson provided additional details on the crash on Monday night. A Freightliner roll-off truck that was operated by a 25-year-old man from Fort Pierce was traveling south on A1A, approaching Regatta Drive and slowing for traffic ahead. An Isuzu box truck driven by a 53-year-old man from Fort Pierce, was traveling south on A1A behind the roll-off truck. According to FHP, the driver of the Isuzu box truck failed to slow in time. As a result, the front of the box truck collided with the rear of the roll-off truck. The driver of the box truck was pronounced dead at 4:46 p.m. at the scene by Indian River County Fire Rescue personnel from injuries sustained in the collision.
Semi driver dies after hitting car, tree
NEW MADRID COUNTY, MO — A semi-truck driver was killed in a crash on Interstate 55 in New Madrid County early Tuesday morning, October 6. The crash happened shortly before 3 a.m. in the northbound lanes of I-55 at the 34.4-mile marker. This is just north of Portageville. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 43-year-old Norridge, Illinois, man was driving north when his rig went off the right side of the interstate, hit a stationary car and a tree. MSHP said the man died at the scene. Troopers report the driver was not wearing a seat belt and both vehicles were totaled in the crash.
Semi-truck goes over embankment, driver killed on I-10 in Vail
VAIL, AZ — A semi-truck driver died Tuesday after the vehicle went over an embankment on I-10 in Vail. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the driver was deceased at the scene. The crash happened on westbound Interstate 10 near milepost 288. The Arizona Department of Transportation reports that the crash is blocking the right lane of westbound Interstate 10. The highway is not fully blocked. Investigators have not released the identity of the driver or what led to the crash.
Nightclub security guard killed in south Seattle drive-by shooting
SEATTLE, WA — A nightclub security guard was killed and a woman was injured in a drive-by shooting early Sunday morning in south Seattle, according to the Seattle Police Department. Officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting in the 5800 block of Fourth Avenue South shortly before 1 a.m. Police arrived at a nearby nightclub and found a 36-year-old man, who worked as security for the club, dead at the scene. A 27-year-old woman was also found with a gunshot wound to her leg.
Maintenance worker dies after being hit by truck at gas station
LOUISA, KY — A maintenance worker has died after being hit Monday morning by a semi-truck at a gas station along U.S. 23 in Louisa, according to the Louisa Police Department. A worker at the gas station told police they noticed a body around 5:50 a.m. and reported it Monday. A few minutes after the first report, a customer came across the body, realized the victim was dead, and called 911 again, police say. Louisa Police Chief Steven Wilburn said the maintenance worker was checking their diesel containers due to the rain when a semi-truck was pulling out after pumping gas and allegedly unknowingly hit the worker. Police said the victim was kneeling in front of the truck just before he was hit. The worker died on scene, Chief Wilburn said.