UPDATE: Matthew S. Clark, 37, of Grove City, was pronounced dead at Mary Rutan Hospital following a construction site accident around 1 p.m. Monday at 1008 Fall Ridge Court, Bellefontaine police report.
Video clip below
Matthew S. Clark, 37, of Grove City, died following a tragic accident at a construction site at 1008 Fall Ridge Court. Bellefontaine police report that Clark was operating a boom lift to unload drywall from a flatbed truck when the fatal incident occurred around 1 p.m.
Clark, who had been hired through a temp service to work for United Building Materials out of Columbus, was certified to operate the boom lift while two other employees, Cameron Waugh and Johnny Douglas, were assisting. Video footage from the truck shows Clark using a remote control strapped across his body to operate the boom.
At approximately 12:47 p.m., while standing between the load of drywall and the truck bed, the boom unexpectedly shifted, striking Clark in the lower back and pinning him against the truck. The load continued to press against him as the remote control dangled beside him, obstructed by the drywall. Clark was unable to reach the remote to stop the boom’s movement.
Waugh and Douglas, who had been inside the house, heard faint yelling and rushed outside. Although neither were trained on how to operate the boom lift, they attempted to help Clark. Waugh called United’s office for assistance and eventually located the manual controls, releasing the pressure at 12:52 p.m. Clark collapsed to the ground, where he was found by emergency personnel shortly before 1 p.m.
Clark was transported to Mary Rutan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Upon investigation, police found that the remote control’s strap was broken and the control for the boom’s movement was jammed forward, possibly contributing to the malfunction.
Representatives from the Toledo office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to the scene and are conducting an investigation.
Logan County Coroner’s Office personnel were notified and attended the scene.
The Montgomery County County Coroner’s Office will conduct an autopsy.
Video clip from accident scene.
PREVIOUS STORY
A man sustained possible serious injuries at a new home construction site Monday afternoon along Fall Ridge Court in Bellefontaine.
The worker was unloading a large, heavy stack of drywall about 1 p.m. from a flatbed trailer with a boom lift and became pinned between the drywall and the trailer, officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department reported at the scene.
Workers and first responders were able to operate the lift and free the man, who was unresponsive according to emergency scanner traffic.
The injury victim was taken by Bellefontaine EMS to Mary Rutan Hospital to help stabilize him before possible transport via medical helicopter to an area hospital, police said.
A MedFlight helicopter was on scene in the front yard of a neighboring home, but first responders opted to take the injured man to the hospital via squad.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Check back for updates.
