Sunday, May 08, 2005
Mill worker killed by falling debris
Northwest Indiana News: nwitimes.com
William Maffitt enjoyed fishing with his sons and never shied away from work that was dirty, hazardous or hard.
While working on just such a job Friday, Maffitt, 45, was killed when a chunk of debris fell on him from above, slamming his head against the 30-foot high hopper he was working in.
'He was just an excellent worker, which is what probably got him killed in the first place,' his mother, Toni Maffitt, said Saturday.
Maffitt, 45, died of blunt force trauma to his head and neck, which was broken by the force of the blow, according to Porter County Deputy Coroner Martin Moeller.
He then fell into the fine powder he had been vacuuming out of the hopper, which had a 'quicksand effect' and swallowed him up, Moeller said.
William Maffitt enjoyed fishing with his sons and never shied away from work that was dirty, hazardous or hard.
While working on just such a job Friday, Maffitt, 45, was killed when a chunk of debris fell on him from above, slamming his head against the 30-foot high hopper he was working in.
'He was just an excellent worker, which is what probably got him killed in the first place,' his mother, Toni Maffitt, said Saturday.
Maffitt, 45, died of blunt force trauma to his head and neck, which was broken by the force of the blow, according to Porter County Deputy Coroner Martin Moeller.
He then fell into the fine powder he had been vacuuming out of the hopper, which had a 'quicksand effect' and swallowed him up, Moeller said.
