Police identify man, 30, killed in fall from Lowell mill's
silo
June 30, 2015
LOWELL, MI
Police have
identified Jared Looyenga as the man killed in
a work-related incident Saturday, June 27, at Kent Milling.
Looyenga, 30, had been power washing a silo roof, working
from a "skytrack" lift. At some point the lift touched a power line
and its wheels caught fire.
Looyenga was electrocuted and made it on to a
nearby silo, but then fell about 60 feet to the ground, according to
information provided by MIOSHA, a state investigating agency looking into the
accident.
Looyenga's death is the 12th this year in Michigan related
to work activities. He was employed with Bosveld, Inc. construction of Grand Rapids, MI.
A 2002 graduate of Covenant Christian High School, Looyenga
was a married father of three young boys. A
memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday, July 2, at Hudsonville
Protestant Reformed Church. Visitation will be 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at
First Protestant Reformed Church of Holland.
//-----------//
LOWELL, MI -- A man working on a "skytrack' lift at a
Lowell mill died after the machine touched a power line and he apparently fell
onto a nearby silo, then onto the ground.
The man was power washing a silo roof at King Milling, 115
S. Broadway St., Lowell police said.
He was not employed by the mill, but a contractor, Bosveld, Inc. construction.
The incident happened shortly after 11 a.m. in downtown
Lowell, just off West Main Street.
The lift touched a power line, causing the machine's tires
to catch fire.
Lowell police Detective Gordy Lauren said he was told the
man was electrocuted and fell directly from the lift to the ground.
But a witness, Jeff Altoft, said he witnessed the man on the
lower edge of the pitched silo roof before he fell. Radio traffic between
firefighters also indicated the victim was on top of the silo for a period.
A ladder truck from East Grand Rapids was en route to
possibly reach the victim.
"If he could have just held on for a little
longer," Altoft said.
Firefighters had to wait for workers with Lowell Light &
Power to cut power to the lines before they could extinguish the fire.
Power to a segment of downtown Lowell was shut down for
several hours after the incident.
The man's name was not released, but police confirmed he
worked for Bosveld Inc. of Grand Rapids.
About three hours after the accident, authorities were
trying to figure out a strategy for moving the lift because the engine was
ruined.
Youngs Environmental Cleanup also was on the scene,
apparently because of a possible fuel spill from the lift.
Steel fabrication is one of the services offered by Bosveld, Inc.