One person was killed and another seriously injured Wednesday in Haverhill after falling from a boom far down onto a barge underneath of them, officials said.
The State Police’s Essex Detective Unit and the Haverhill Police have ruled out foul play, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office said.
Two men, both subcontractors for SPS Construction, fell out of a telescopic boom, tumbling 40 to 50 feet to a barge in Merrimack River below, the DA’s office said. The cops were called around 10 a.m. to the apparent accident.
They were working on a bridge carrying Interstate 495 over crossed the Merrimack River near Bank Road in Haverhill, the DA said.
One worker, a 44-year old man from Manchester, N.H., was pronounced dead at the scene. The other man, 46, was taken to Lahey Burlington Hospital with serious injuries and was undergoing surgery on Wednesday.
The name of the deceased will continue to be withheld pending a complete family notification. The name of the injured man will not be released.
OSHA will continue to investigate. Authorities have not determined whether the accident was caused by mechanical or operator error, Blodgett’s office said.
No further information was available Wednesday night.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services sent out a release saying it is providing a safety alert to employers who use aerial lifts like this one.
