A tragic incident unfolded early Thursday at a Sterling industrial site, where a worker was fatally injured following a rock ledge collapse. The emergency crews were swiftly summoned to the quarry located at 17 Stone Crest Way just before 8 a.m, after reports that an excavator had been engulfed by a landslide, according to a Facebook post by the local fire department.
Upon arrival, first responders utilized camera tools to thoroughly ascertain the conditions surrounding the collapse. The assessment led them to the grim outcome, to confirm there were no signs of life. The unnamed worker was pronounced dead at 8:39 a.m. The site is now under the scrutiny of the U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration, which is currently reviewing the quarry's conditions to safely continue to retrieve the worker's body.
A medley of local agencies responded to the tragedy, including the Sterling Fire Department, Sterling Police Department, Clinton Fire Department, and Leominster Fire Department, alongside the District 8 Technical Rescue Team which draws resources from a consortium of neighboring towns. The collective effort also involved the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure, the Massachusetts State Police Drone Unit, Crime Scene Services, and the Detective Unit assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney's Office.
The Westminster and Princeton Fire Departments helped by covering stations in Sterling. The emergency response showed a strong multi-agency effort during the disaster. Federal authorities are investigating the incident to understand what happened and to prevent it from occurring again.
