Worker dies from fall at Ludington water treatment plant
By Lynn Moore | lmoore8@mlive.com
on June 01, 2017 at 11:13 AM, updated June 01, 2017 at 12:42 PM
LUDINGTON, MI - A 20-year-old Grand Rapids man died after falling from a roof at Ludington's water treatment plant Wednesday, according to police.
Kevin Anthony Martinez, 20, died after he fell 30 feet through a skylight on a roof at the plant, according to a statement from Ludington Police Chief Mark A. Barnett.
Martinez was working at the plant, located at 501 N. Lakeshore Dr., when the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. May 31, according to Barnett. Martinez landed on the cement floor of an empty clarifier tank, he said.
Martinez was first transported to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital before being airlifted to Spectrum Health Butterworth in Grand Rapids where he died, Barnett said.
"Some individuals were on the roof cleaning up tools from the days work putting some Styrofoam panels up," Barnett said. "That's when he fell through the skylight."
The victim was employed by a roofing subcontractor working for Davis Construction of Kentwood, which is the general contractor on an $8.2 million project to upgrade the Ludington plant, said Ludington City Manager John Shay.
The clarifier tank the victim fell into normally would have been full of water, but was empty because of work being done on it, Shay said. To get to the victim, rescuers would have had to climb ladders to get into the tank, he said.
The Michigan Occupational Safe and Health Administration was on the scene today to investigate, Shay said.
"Our hearts go out to the victim and his family," Shay said. "It's absolutely tragic."
The Ludington Fire Department, Mason County Sheriff's Office and Life EMS assisted Ludington Police at the scene.