RIVERVALE, Ark. — A contractor operating an excavator was killed Tuesday afternoon after being struck by a large log while doing creek channel maintenance in Rivervale, Arkansas.
It happened while the 57-year-old victim was working on a Corp of Engineers channel cleanout project along Iron Mines Creek in Poinsett County.
R.V. Huskey, who lives in community north of Lepanto, said the stretch of levee road was packed with emergency responders.
“I just come by here to see what happened…the law, I guess the Coroner, the ambulance and the fire truck and everybody…all the volunteers come by,” he said.
They were all headed to a scene where–according to investigators–the operator of this excavator was killed when a large log came crashing into the cab of his machine.
Just reaching the victim Tuesday was a major feat because of the accident location.
Lepanto Fire Chief Eric McGhee said by the time volunteers got to the scene, the victim who reportedly suffered “traumatic internal injuries”, was out of the excavator and lifesaving efforts were already underway.
Unfortunately the victim died at the scene.
“I think the workers…his co-workers had started CPR on him and once we got there we over and continued CPR. We did continue CPR…but it just didn’t work out,” Chief McGhee said.
The Memphis District Office of the Corp of Engineers confirmed the victim was a contract worker on the project, saying in part “We’re deeply saddened by this loss and express our condolences to family, friends, and teammates.”
The victim, whose name has not been released, has been sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death.
