Worker killed at Pleasant Prairie construction site after being struck by water main cap
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A freak accident at a road construction site killed a 34-year-old worker in Pleasant Prairie Wednesday, Sept. 13.
The tragic accident happened around a culvert for Barnes Creek. This is the 9300 block of Sheridan Road. We're told a water main cap popped hard and killed a worker. A heartbreaking scene, with crews left in silence.
It was just before 3 p.m. when police say a water main cap blew off, badly injuring the worker on Sheridan Road near 93rd Street. Emergency crews rushed to the scene.
"I heard a lot of sirens. And then I thought, it's from the TV, and then I went to let Rusty out and there's all these cars. There's cop cars and everybody's standing around two ambulances. I thought maybe somebody got hurt from working on the big thingies over there," said Carolyn Tetzlaff, who lives nearby.
The worker was pronounced dead on the scene. Pleasant Prairie police are not identifying the victim just yet; however, the medical examiner's office confirms the victim is a 34-year-old man.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation's repaving Sheridan Road between Route 165 and the Illinois state line, including an area that goes over Barnes Creek.
"So normally it's very loud, very noisy. You have the construction equipment that's going at least 12 hours a day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.," said Kelcey Traynoff, who also lives nearby.
But after 3, the construction noise eerily stopped.
"I stepped outside, and it was just quiet, nothing going on, no trucks, no crane, nothing. Just waiting to learn what happened. It seems like it's a very sad atmosphere," said Traynoff.
WisDOT mentions the Sheridan Road project on its 511 construction updates page, noting the Barnes Creek culvert replacement as part of it. We did see crews here from Pleasant Prairie Public Works, too, but so far there's no word on who the victim worked for.
Representatives of OSHA were called to the scene and will hold a full investigation.