Kenneth Bush was killed in a construction site accident in Sackets Harbor on Monday, June 20, 2011, at Madison Barracks. Bush was employed with Lawman Heating & Cooling's construction division, which has been clearing the site for a housing development.
Bush was operating an excavator at the site to cut and pull trees. Around 11:20 a.m., a 40-foot tree came away with the arm of the machine and slid down on to the excavator's cab. Bush was trapped inside the cab and remained pinned for close to ten minutes before he was freed. Co-workers on the site attempted to free Bush before emergency workers arrived, but they were unsuccessful. Rescuers then used a hydraulic tool to cut the roof off the excavator. However, by the time they made it through, Bush was unresponsive. He was transferred to Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, where he was pronounced dead.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are all involved in the ongoing investigation.
The New York workers' compensation attorneys with Markhoff & Mittman extend sincere condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of Mr. Bush.
