Man crushed by front-end loader

[kebo]

Another tragic accident while working underneath heavy equipment. No more details other than what was copied from the TV website, but since it occurred in the same town that I work in, I should be able to find out some details at work in the next day or two. Will post back if I learn anything else.


[h=3]Man crushed by front-end loader[/h] Posted: Feb 18, 2014 4:35 PM EST Updated: Feb 18, 2014 4:35 PM EST

BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, SC (WIS) - A Lexington County man was killed when a front-end loader he was repairing fell on him and crushed him.
Coroner Harry Harman says 49-year-old Kenneth Lee Bridges of Batesburg-Leesville died Monday afternoon. Harman says he was crushed when the front-end loader he was working on fell on him.
The coroner's office and the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department are investigating the accident. Investigators are not releasing any additional information.

Copyright 2014 WIS. All rights reserved.

 

[creekbend]

Looking forward to more insight and details.

 

[TomSeller]

I am sorry to hear of the family's loss. My first guess is that it was a large loader, not a utility tractor FEL. I also am interested in what may have happened.

 

[kebo]

Here is a little bit more info from "The State" newspaper website this morning. Will see what else I can find out at work. It does sound like it was a "real" front end loader, not one on a tractor.


LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC A Batesburg-Leesville man was repairing a John Deere front-end loader when it fell on him and killed him. Kenneth Lee Bridges, 49, died at approximately 1:10 p.m. on Monday, according to Lexington County Coroner Harry O. Harman. The accident is being investigated by the Lexington County Coroner痴 Office and the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department.

Read more here: LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC: Batesburg-Leesville man dies after front-end loader falls | Crime | The State
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[kebo]

Got some more info on this accident at work today from a coworker who happens to be involved with the local FD. The accident occurred at a local rental shop. He said that the story he got was that it was a JD skidsteer that apparently had a hydraulic leak somewhere down inside the bowels of the machine. On this particular model skidsteer, you had to raise up the bucket, and then raise up the operators cage and latch them in place with a locking mechanism, to get to the area where the leak was at. The mechanic was hunched over the engine (and I suppose the pump?) with it running, I guess to look for the leak. Somehow or other, the machine began moving forward, and one side of it clipped a parked truck, which damaged or disengaged the locking mechanism that was holding the cage up. The cage came down, crushing him. The rescuers wound up having to remove the pins on some hyd cylinders in order to raise it back up and recover the victim. I know, I didn't understand that part either but that's what I was told. Sorry, don’t know the year or model number of the unit either.