Working Killed at Bong Bridge Construction Site

Authorities have identified the victim of an fatal construction accident that occurred on the Bong Bridge in Duluth, Minnesota earlier this week.

Details of the Duluth Construction Accident

According to the Duluth Tribune, Kelsey Hagenson, 18, was killed in a forklift mishap that occurred while a crew was completing construction on the bridge Tueday.

Hagenson was rushed to Duluth Hospital following the accident, but was pronounced dead roughly one hour after arrival. The cause of death, according to the examiner’s office, was multiple blunt force injuries. An obituary entry stated Hagenson was from Stanley, Wisconsin, where he grew up and graduated high school earlier this year.

Another worker was injured in the incident, but his name and condition were not immediately available. Both Hagenson and the injured worker were employees of Lunda Construction of Black River Falls, Wisconsin.

An ongoing investigation by the Duluth Police Department is underway.

National Auto Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):

• 4,585 workers were killed on the job in 2013 – an average of 88 deaths a week or more than 12 deaths every day.
• Of those fatalities, 4,101 were occurred in private industry and 828 were linked to construction accidents.
• Among the leading causes of construction-related deaths were:
  • Falls
  • Struck by object
  • Electrocutions
  • Caught-in/between