Omaha teen dies when forklift falls on him

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10630258

Published Saturday May 9, 2009
Omaha teen dies when forklift falls on him

An Omaha teen died Friday night after a forklift at his workplace fell on top of him.

The incident occurred at Progressive Protein, 5102 S. 26th St., about 10:25 p.m. According to Sgt. Harmon Moss of the Omaha Police Department, this is what authorities believe happened:

The young man, who was in his late teens, drove the forklift out of the building. It was on a ramp and tipped off the side. He fell out of the forklift, and the forklift fell on top of him.

His fellow employees used another forklift to free him. The teen was rushed to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Police say the incident appears to be an accident; criminal activity was not suspected.

A man at the site declined to comment, saying he was not authorized.

An hour after the crash, the forklift remained on its right side, a light still blinking on its top. A few feet away sat an empty hard-hat style helmet sat on the concrete lot.

- Andrew J. Nelson