Construction Worker Killed in Backhoe Accident in West Haven
NBC Connecticut
A West Haven construction worker was killed in a backhoe accident while working on a sewer line near the New Haven town line on Tuesday.
A construction worker was killed in an accident involving a backhoe on the West Haven town line with New Haven on Tuesday.
The incident occurred around noon at a construction site near 2 Boston Post Road, according to police.
The worker was part of a West Haven construction crew working on a sewer line when he was struck by the backhoe. He was rushed to the hospital where he died, according to West Haven Mayor Edward O'Brien.
West Haven maintains the sewer line that crosses into New Haven at Ella Grasso Boulevard, O'Brien said.
The victim is approximately 55 years old, but has not been identified.
The Boston Post Road was closed for several hours.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.
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By Staff reports
Posted: 06/21/16, 1:17 PM EDT | Updated: 1 day ago 4 Comments
The scene of a fatal construction accident at the West Haven-New Haven border. Esteban Hernandez — New Haven Register NEW HAVEN >> A longtime Pereira & Sons Construction worker died Tuesday after he was struck by a payloader along Route 1, somehow ending up in a truck carrying hot asphalt, according to police and municipal officials.
The man, about 55 years old, according to West Haven police, was taken to an area hospital.
He had worked for many years for Pereira & Sons, based in West Haven, and was working on a West Haven sewer-repair project near the New Haven-West Haven line, but was in New Haven at the time of the accident, West Haven Mayor Ed O’Brien said at the scene.
Police were waiting to release the victim’s name pending notification of his family, police said.
“I think it’s just a tragic accident,” O’Brien said after conferring briefly with New Haven Chief of Police Dean Esserman and Assistant Chief Achilles “Archie” Generoso, who commands New Haven’s detective bureau.
“It’s everyone’s worst nightmare,” O’Brien said.
Generoso said New Haven police would be conducting an independent investigation, but stated, “Right now, it’s a workplace accident. He fell into hot asphalt. The details we’re still trying to determine.”
Pereira owner John Pereira, who was at the scene, declined to comment on the accident.
Route 1, which is the Boston Post Road in West Haven but still called Orange Avenue at that stretch in New Haven, was expected to be closed for several hours while the investigation was underway, Generoso said. The accident took place near West River Wine & Spirits.
Crews had been working since the weekend to repair a sewer line break near the West River, said West Haven Water Pollution Control Authority workers at the scene.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating, Generoso said.
The West Haven and New Haven police departments and City of West Haven Fire Department — Allingtown responded to the call at about noon, according to the WHPD release.