A contractor working at International Paper, Savannah, Georgia, was killed June 12 after a boiler platform collapsed on him during demolition, the Savannah Morning News reports. Savannah Fire identified the man as Juan Medina, who was working a manlift at the time of the collapse.
According to reports, demolition crews were cutting through the boiler platform pipes in order to remove it when the platform suddenly collapsed.
Savannah Fire’s Technical Rescue Team rushed to the scene, cutting through the pipes and a metal plate to reach Medina, who was trapped beneath the wreckage. However, he was pronounced dead by the time crews reached him.
The scene was left to International Paper’s Emergency Response Team and the authorities to investigate.
“We are saddened to learn of the loss of one of our contractor team members, Juan Medina,” International Paper Savannah Mill spokeswoman Karen Bogans said in a statement. “This is a difficult day for all of us here at the Savannah mill and our thoughts are with Juan’s family, friends and colleagues. We are working with authorities to determine the cause of this accident, and we will share the findings once we are able to do so. Safety is paramount for all of us at International Paper, which makes today’s news that much more difficult to process.”