Workers Killed in Construction Accidents in Separate Incidents

Lady Lake, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – Six workers died on the job over the past two weeks in industrial accidents across the country. 

In Lady Lake, Florida, a construction worker died Feb. 2, after a retention wall caved in on him at a construction site. 

John Joseph Terranova, 27, was working on the U.S. Highway 27/41 road widening project when a retention wall fell on him. Officials said emergency services were called to the site when Terranova was trapped in a hole in the wall that was holding up parts of a bridge over County Road 25. 

Emergency crews from Lake County Fire Rescue and The Villages Public Safety initially working to free Terranova, but, officials said, as time went on, the mission turned from rescue to recovery. 

"We had an idea of where he was, but we weren’t able to confirm," Bat. Chief Robert Fickett of Lake County Fire Rescue said. "We were using shovels, digging by hand, putting in buckets, raising it out of the hole, and we also used that vacuum truck.” 

The Florida Department of Transportation released a statement in regard to Terranova’s death. 

"The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is deeply saddened to hear about the recent incident that took place within the ongoing U.S. 441 road-widening project in Lady Lake," Jessica Ottaviano, a spokesperson FDOT, said in a statement. “The FDOT offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the worker involved in this incident.” 

FDOT is also reviewing the incident as well as plans, protocols and safety measures with the contractor to prevent any additional accident, she said. 

Work on the project stopped while investigators looked into the incident and crews worked to determine whether or not the work zone was safe, a FDOT spokesperson said. 

In Cannon Falls, Minnesota, a worker died on the job at a fertilizer plant. 

According to the Cannon Falls Police Department, a 37-year-old worker at the Sustane Natural Fertilizer plant was found unresponsive after being pulled into a machine around 6 a.m., Feb. 1. Police said the man was dead when they arrived. 

An investigation into his death will be conducted by the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office of Southern Minnesota, as well as the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

And in Washington County, Ala., a logger died while working in the woods. 

Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the logger, 56-year-old Armon Dale Reed, was working in the woods off Davidson Road when a hydraulic line malfunctioned, pinned him against some equipment. Officials said the incident will be investigated. 

Two men died in separate industrial accidents in Idaho. 

Cassia County Coroner Craig Rinehart said a 58-year-old man was working on the roof of a silo at Barclay Mechanical on Jan. 27. The coroner said the man fell about 20 feet. 

Cassia County Sheriff George Warrell said the man was unresponsive when emergency personnel arrived and was determined to have succumbed to his injuries. The incident is under investigation, the sheriff said. 

Earlier in the week, a 62-year-old man died at Cassia Regional Hospital after a fall at Gem State Processing, a food processing plant in Heyburn. 

Officials said he was on the catwalk at the plant when he fell. The worker was transported to the hospital where he was declared dead. 

Rinehart said both incidents are under investigation by the Idaho Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

And in Nebraska, a man died at a meat packing plant after being struck by a piece of machinery. 

Officials said Esteban Mantilla, 48, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was working at JBS USA in the beef plant when he was hit in the head by a piece of falling machinery. Police and emergency services were called to the scene and performed CPR, but Mantilla died. 

“We are deeply saddened, and our thoughts and prayers are with our team member’s family, co-workers and friends,” JBS spokesperson Nikki Richardson said, in a statement. “We are working closely with local officials and OSHA to investigate the incident, and we are grateful to the emergency personnel for their quick response. We will be providing support to the family during this difficult time. Out of respect to our team member and the family, we will not provide further comment.” 

OSHA is investigating Mantilla’s death as well.

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