Colleague of man killed by concrete slab speaks after his death
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — On Thursday, officials confirmed that one man died in what appeared to be an industrial accident at a concrete manufacturing business in Bluffdale.
On Sunday, ABC4.com spoke with a colleague of the man who died and learned more about what may have happened and what he was like at work.
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55-year-old Bryan has been working as a driver at Olympus Precast for two years.
“I’ve got two older brothers that are semi drivers, I’ve got friends who are semi drivers, I’ve got cousins that are semi drivers,” Bryan said.
It runs in the family — but in his job at the concrete manufacturing business in Bluffdale, he still experiences some difficult firsts.
“This is the very first fatal accident completely that I’ve seen,” he said.
This accident was especially tragic for Bryan.
“It makes me sad knowing about it, and basically knowing the person that was involved … it does break my heart,” Bryan said.
Bryan was working with his coworker on Thursday morning.
“Him and I was joking around … I always made him laugh,” Bryan said.
Bryan later went off-site, and that’s when he learned that a cement slab fell — crushing and killing a worker. When Bryan got back to the scene, he realized it was his friend trapped in the damage.
“When I got over here, I did see all the walls down on top of him and stuff … It was a sad sight to see,” Bryan said.
A sight that, after two years at the job, is something Bryan said he’ll never forget.
“Just knowing that it could happen to any one of us, and how it happened to him — it’s a sad thing that it happened,” Bryan said.
Remembering not just a coworker, but someone Bryan said will always be a friend.
“I will miss working with him,” Bryan said. “I’ll miss his laughing and just being around him.”
After speaking with Bryan, it is still unclear what caused the cement slab to fall on the man. Bryan said the business plans to meet this week to discuss it.
Those who wish to help support the family can donate money at this link.
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