Construction worker killed in excavator collapse in Delray Beach

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Delray Beach Fire Rescue said a construction worker was killed Thursday after an excavator collapsed onto a dump truck.

Ted White, a spokesman for the Delray Beach Police Department and Delray Beach Fire Rescue, said the incident happened at 1041 Lewis Cove, just off State Road A1A, about a mile south of Atlantic Avenue.

Aerial video from WPTV Chopper 5 showed a CASE excavator toppled over, crushing the front of a dump truck and smashing the windshield.

WPTV

In a social media post, Delray Beach Fire Rescue said a construction worker was killed after "being struck by an excavator clearing debris from a demolished home."

White added that the worker, a man who has not been identified, was inside the dump truck when the excavator toppled onto the vehicle. A man operating the excavator was not hurt.

Delray Beach Fire Rescue took the construction worker to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A home surveillance camera captured the construction accident unfolding Thursday as an excavator tipped over.

Sue Pregibon's husband saw the whole thing.

"The large rig started teetering on top of the mound and my husband said, 'Oh my God. If he moves a foot more he’s going to tip over.' And just after he said that, it tipped over," Pregibon said. "He’s very shaken up because it’s not good seeing a guy die."

Police told WPTV a construction crew was working to clear debris from the lot at the time.

"It just smashed right through where he was sitting and he ended up, unfortunately, on the ground. And it was awful, just awful," Pregibon said.

A representative from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration came out to investigate, along with police.

Neighbors said the home demolition just started Wednesday. Now they are left thinking about those impacted.

"It's just so horrific and just very, very sad for that gentleman's family," Pregibon said.