The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a death that occurred in the Town of West Bend on April 29, at 9:27 a.m. The Washington County Communications Center received a ‘911’ call from the 3400 block of Highway NN and were notified of an individual pinned under a pile of lumber, at a new home construction site. The caller wasn’t sure of the subject’s condition and was working with other contractors to move the lumber.

Multiple deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded, as well as members of the West Bend Fire Department. The individual had been removed from underneath the lumber, allowing personnel to immediately begin CPR efforts. The individual was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

It appears a contractor’s telehandler had removed a pallet of lumber from an on-site trailer. With the lumber off and next to the trailer, but still on the forks of the telehandler, the operator and another worker attempted to secure the material to the forks with the use of a ratchet strap. While attaching the strap, the lumber shifted and slid off the forks, pinning the individual underneath the lumber.

The investigation is on-going. 

The Washington County Medical Examiners Office and Occupational Safety and Health Administration also assisted with the investigation.