Worker Killed in Rock Collapse at Massachusetts Quarry

Rescue teams and safety inspectors respond to quarry tragedy
By Newser.AI Read our AI policy
Posted Aug 23, 2024 1:15 AM CDT
Worker Killed in Rock Collapse at Massachusetts Quarry
This image taken from video provided by WCVB-TV shows an excavator, top left, buried under rocks and boulders, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at a quarry site in Sterling, Mass., according to aerial video footage from local news stations.   (WCVB-TV via AP)

An accident at a Massachusetts quarry claimed the life of a worker Thursday morning when a rock ledge collapsed, engulfing an excavator in rocks and boulders. Firefighters and rescue crews arrived swiftly but found no signs of life after assessing the scene with cameras. The victim was pronounced dead at 8:39am, but their identity has yet to be disclosed.

The US Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration is currently examining the scene to ensure safe conditions for retrieving the victim. Sterling Fire Department announced on its Facebook page that multiple agencies are involved in the recovery efforts at the Chocksett Road site. "Please avoid the area. There is no safety threat to the public," the department stated.

Onyx Corporation, the company operating the quarry, has shut down all its locations from Thursday through the weekend, with plans to resume operations on Monday. When contacted for further comment, a representative had "nothing at this time" to add. The quarry, launched in February 2018, specializes in transforming rock into materials for infrastructure projects. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)

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