Worker killed in cave-in

The U.S. Department of Labor is now investigating the death of a heavy equipment operator who was killed in when a sand pit caved in around him.

A spokesperson with the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) says OSHA began inspection Tuesday on the death of Bryan Smith.

Smith died Monday while working for Roberts Sand Company.

Firefighters say they were called to the sand pit off of Selman Road in Quincy at 12:16 p.m.

Firefighters say it appeared dirt fell on Smith, trapping him inside of a crane.

Evant Jenkins lives near the sand pit. He says, "I think that hole needs to be filled up back there. That hole should be filled up, somebody should have done it. That's a deep hole back there. If he was down there in the bottom of that hole digging, that hole is as deep as one of these pine trees there."

A spokesperson says OSHA is inspecting to determine whether OSHA requirements were violated.

They say OSHA has up to six months to complete the investigation.

We have learned a little more about Bryan Smith. He lived in Tallahassee but his Facebook page says he's from Logansport, Indiana.

It also says he'd been a heavy equipment operator for Roberts Sand Company since April 2003.

The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office does list Smith's death as an accident.

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Quincy, FL 8-2-11

A man appears to have been buried alive. First responders say a heavy equipment operator was killed on the job.

Evant Jenkins lives in the area. He says, "I saw the sirens, the fire truck was going down there. Two paramedics had already went down there. Then I saw one deputy."

Quincy Firefighters say they were called to Roberts Sand Company's pit off of Selman Road in Quincy at 12:16pm Monday.

Firefighters say Bryan Smith was dead when they got there at 12:21.

They say the heavy equipment operator from Tallahassee was trapped inside a crane.

"Makes me feel kind of bad." Says, Jenkins.

Firefighters say it appeared the dirt wall fell on Smith.

They say they had to dig the dirt from around the cab compartment of crane.

Henry Morris lives nearby and says he saw the firefighters using shovels.

Morris says, "They were digging trying to dig him out. I looked and said to myself, it looks like all the dirt fell in the side of the cab where he was sitting at the open side where you get in and get out.
that's where the dirt fell. That's what it looked like to me."

No one from Roberts Sand Company would give a comment. But, one manager said off camera that this is just a tragic accident and that they are investigating.

Authorities have not released Bryan Smith's age or any other details about him. We will have that information on wctv.tv when it becomes available.

Source: WCTV.tv