A contractor was killed Thursday afternoon in a workplace accident at River Mill Dam in Clackamas County, according to authorities. The worker, who had been hired to conduct equipment testing at the facility, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said the accident happened just before 4:30 p.m. Thursday and involved a contractor performing equipment tests at the River Mill facility, according to KOIN. A Portland General Electric employee was taken to a local hospital for treatment, and the dam’s public area was temporarily closed while crews responded. The sheriff’s office told the outlet there is no risk to the public.
Where the accident happened
River Mill Dam sits on the Clackamas River and is part of the River Mill Hydroelectric Project operated by Portland General Electric. According to Wikipedia, the site includes a powerhouse along with nearby public recreation areas and requires routine maintenance and testing, which at times brings in outside contractors. Those regular operations mean on-site safety protocols and coordination between utility staff and local emergency crews are already built into how incidents at the facility are handled.
Investigation Underway
Clackamas County deputies said they are treating the case as a workplace death and remained at the site Thursday gathering evidence and interviewing those involved, the sheriff’s office told KOIN. Emergency responders and county personnel stayed into the evening to secure the area and document the scene.
Officials did not immediately release the contractor’s name or specifics about what led to the fatal accident. The River Mill public area remained closed while investigators worked, and the sheriff’s office again emphasized there was no danger to nearby residents or people on the river. Local officials and Portland General Electric are expected to share more details after on-site work is complete and the worker’s family has been notified.
