A container tipping killed a machinery operator. Crushed, the latter found a tragic death.
Dramatic death of a machinery operator in Toamasina. Crushed under a container, the driver of a tractor was killed. These scenes of desolation happened yesterday. According to the information gathered, the deceased worked for a shipping company. His job was to move containers, both empty and loaded, from one location to another during loading and unloading. These operations, which are part of embarkation and disembarkation, require the use of a tractor which he was at the controls. The worst happened when a container that sat on the trailer of the tractor he was driving suddenly tipped forward. While his vehicle was driving, the accident happened suddenly. As it overturned, the container crushed the tractor cabin, tearing off the protection covering the driver’s seat. Crushed under the mass of metal, the latter did not survive. Visually, the container was not well secured to move, overturning at the first blow.
Experience
The victim was killed instantly. This tragedy seems to be a first. According to the information gathered, such an accident is very rare. Moreover, the deceased was a qualified staff member in his field and seemed to know better than anyone the handling of a port tractor as well as the containers leaving and arriving. Despite his experience, he was not immune to danger which ultimately cost him his life when he might not have expected it. The extrication of the body was another pair of sleeves. It took resorting to the use of a container lifter to right the one that tipped over before they might free their bodies. Compressed between his tractor and the mass of metal, he had no chance of surviving. The rescue operations were carried out very quickly but the seriousness of the accident took away the unfortunate man. The company for which the deceased worked took the necessary steps to deal with this dramatic situation. The judicial authorities, for their part, made the observation and made the arrangements within their jurisdiction so that the family might prepare the funeral.
