List of Amazon fatalities
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The following is a list of fatalities that occurred during Amazon.com, Inc. operations in the United States, as reported by the media.
Fatalities by State and location
[edit]Alabama
[edit]#BHM1 – 975 Powder Plant Rd, Bessemer, AL 35022
[edit]- On November 28–29, 2021, two workers allegedly died within hours of one another. The first employee suffered a stroke on the site in a trailer shortly after his request; his body was discovered 20 minutes later. The second worker was found in a bathroom of the warehouse and transported to a hospital where they were pronounced dead.[1]
California
[edit][Facility unknown]
[edit]- On August 16, 2022, Jiahan Wu, aged 2, was struck and killed by an Amazon van in an apartment complex in Irvine, Calif. The van, which was operated by a third party, was being driven by an 18-year-old who was “talking on his phone and had packages on the dashboard, obscuring his vision.”[2]
Colorado
[edit]#DEN4 – 4222 Integration Lp, Colorado Springs, CO 80916
[edit]- On December 27, 2022, Rick Jacobs, aged 61, died of cardiac arrest. Employees claimed that a makeshift barrier of large cardboard bins was erected around the deceased while business at the warehouse continued as normal.[3]
Delaware
[edit]#PHL7/PHL9 – 560 Merrimac Ave, Middletown, DE 19709
[edit]- On February 12, 2014, Sonja Morris, aged 46, was found dead in the parking lot approximately six hours after her shift had ended. Morris was believed to be clearing her car of snow and ice when she collapsed between her and another vehicle parked next to hers. Obscured, her body lay undiscovered for several hours. Records indicate that security surveillance was non-operational that evening. An autopsy later ruled that Morris died of natural causes.[4]
Illinois
[edit]#DLI4 – 3077 Gateway Commerce Center Dr S, Edwardsville, IL 62025
[edit]- On December 10, 2021, an EF-3 tornado hit the 1.1-million-square-foot Amazon delivery depot causing the roof to collapse. Clayton Lynn Cope, 29; Kevin D. Dickey, 62; Etheria S. Hebb, 34; Austin McEwen, 26; DeAndre Morrow, 28; and Larry E. Virden, 46, all perished. In April 2022, OSHA said the warehouse “met minimal federal safety guidelines for storm sheltering.”[5] Amazon’s vice president of public policy, Brian Huseman, released a statement saying, “We have not identified any jurisdiction in the United States that requires storm shelters or safe rooms for these types of facilities.” [6]
#MDW2 – 250 Emerald Dr, Joliet, IL 60433
[edit]- On June 2, 2023, Roger A. Kieca, aged 59, died of cardiac arrest.[7][better source needed]
Indiana
[edit]#FWA4 – 9798 Smith Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46809
[edit]- On May 8, 2023, Caes David Gruesbeck, aged 20, was driving a one-man lift and hit his head on an overhead conveyance system. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. An autopsy report indicated Gruesbeck’s death was caused by blunt force injury and ruled an accident.[8]
#IND2/3 – 715 Airtech Pkwy 1414, Plainfield, IN 46168
[edit]- On September 24, 2017, Phillip “Lee” Terry, aged 59, was doing routine maintenance on a forklift when the forks and heavy metal platform suddenly came down and killed him.[9]
Massachusetts
[edit]#DCB4 – 750 Everett St, Norwood, MA 02062
[edit]- On August 19, 2022, Yvens Jean, aged 23, died in the parking lot of the Norwood delivery station. His cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head via a Glock pistol. Jean’s death was ruled a suicide.[10]
Mississippi
[edit]#MEM3 – 1615 Commerce Pkwy, Horn Lake, MS 38637
[edit]- On June 3, 2022, Ebony Leshay Crocket, aged 44, was killed after being fatally shot three times by her co-worker, 45-year-old Corey D. Brewer, in the parking lot. After fleeing, Brewer was later pulled over by police in Memphis and fatally shot when he opened fire on authorities. No officers were injured.[11]
Missouri
[edit][Facility unknown]
[edit]- On October 24, 2022, Jamie Glenn Burnam, aged 49, was found dead at the scene in the Wood Heights area near Excelsior Springs, Mo., after being mauled to death by two aggressive dogs on his delivery route. The animals, a German shepherd and English mastiff, were later killed by an armed officer.[12]
Nevada
[edit]#LAS7 – 6001 E Tropical Pkwy, North Las Vegas, NV 89115
[edit]- On March 1, 2021, Paul F. Vilscek, aged 48, died outside the North Las Vegas fulfillment center. His cause of death was “blunt force injuries to the head, trunk and extremities” due to jumping from a height. Vilscek’s death was ruled a suicide.[13]
New Jersey
[edit]#EWR6/EWR7 – 275 Omar Ave, Avenel, NJ 07001
[edit]- On December 4, 2013, Ronald Smith, aged 57, was killed when he was pulled through a defective conveyor belt at the facility, which is run by a third-party logistics firm, Genco. Smith was employed by Abacus, a temporary staffing firm.[14]
#EWR9 – 8003 Industrial Hwy, Carteret, NJ 07008
[edit]- On July 13, 2022, Rafael Reynaldo Mota Frias, aged 42, died of cardiac arrest during Amazon’s two-day Prime Day promotion. In January 2023, a federal investigation denied any health or safety violations were related to the incident.[15]
#PNE5 – 18 Applegate Dr, Robbinsville Twp, NJ 08691
[edit]- On July 24, 2022, Rodger K. Boland, aged 67, fell from a 3-foot ladder and hit his head. He was transported to the Capital Health Regional Medical Center where he died three days later as a result of his injury.[16]
Ohio
[edit]#CMH1 – 11999 National Rd SW, Etna, OH 43062
[edit]- On September 2, 2019, Billy J. Foister, aged 48, died of cardiac arrest.[17]
Pennsylvania
[edit]#MDT1 – 2 Ames Dr, Carlisle, PA 17015
[edit]- On August 1, 2022, Alex Carrillo, aged 22, was on a pit lift 40 feet in the air performing his assigned job duties when another fork lift operated by an employee who was employed for just two weeks hit his lift, causing the lift to fall over. Carrillo was transported to Penn State Holy Spirit where he died six days later from traumatic brain injury.[18]
#DAE8 – 53 W Germantown Pike, East Norriton, PA 19401
[edit]- On July 6, 2021, Wilmer Danillo-Mejia Landaverde, aged 24, was killed after he fell through a portion of open roof. Pasquale, a contractor with IMC Construction, was on-site to convert a former Wal-Mart into an Amazon warehouse.[19]
#PHL6 – 675 Allen Rd, Carlisle, PA 17015
[edit]- On September 19, 2017, Devan Michael Shoemaker, aged 28, tried to help a truck driver loosen the “kingpin” beneath the truck's trailer. Shoemakers was run over and fatally crushed.[20]
- On June 1, 2014, Jody Rhoads, aged 52, was killed while operating machinery.[21]
South Carolina
[edit]#CAE1 – 4400 12th St Extension, West Columbia, SC 29172
[edit]- On December 21, 2022, Derrell Andrews, aged 31, was critically injured after his 20-year-old co-worker, Jonathan Harden Alique Walker, opened fire on him following an argument in the parking lot. The charge against Walker was upgraded to murder after Andrews died on Dec. 31.[22]
Tennessee
[edit]#BNA3 – 2020 Joe B Jackson Pkwy, Murfreesboro, TN 37127
[edit]- On September 30, 2018, Charles “Mike” Gellasch, aged 61, died of cardiac arrest.[23][better source needed]
Virginia
[edit]#DCA7 – 220 Centreport Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22406
[edit]- On May 4, 2022, Brody Beverly, aged 23, was killed when a large truck backed over the much smaller he was driving.[24] Beverly, a contractor with Geo-Technology Associates, was on-site for construction of a 630,000-square-foot Cross-Dock facility on the Northern Virginia Gateway site.[25]
#RIC2 – 1901 Meadowville Technology Pkwy, Chester, VA 23836
[edit]- On January 18, 2013, Jeff Lockhart Jr., aged 29, was found unconscious beneath shelving units. He was transported to John Randolph Medical Center and pronounced dead approximately two hours later. Lockhart’s death was the subject of a 2015 feature story in The Huffington Post.[26]
Wisconsin
[edit]#MKE2 – 9700 S 13th St, Oak Creek, Wisconsin 53154
[edit]- On July 10, 2019, Zachary Dassow, aged 24, was operating a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on an upper floor when he drove it out a window and fell more than 30 feet. Dassow, a contractor with Lewis Construction,[27] was pronounced dead at Froedtert Hospital.[28]
See also
[edit]- Accidental death
- Freedom of association
- Labor rights
- Lawsuit
- Occupational safety and health
- Trade union
- Work accident
- Workers' compensation
- Workplace violence
- Wrongful death claim
References
[edit]- ^ Graziosi, Graig (29 December 2021). "Two Amazon workers denied sick leave die within hours of each other, co-workers claim". The Independent. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ FOX 11 Digital Team (31 March 2023). "Irvine mother could now face charges after toddler was struck and killed by Amazon truck". FOX 11 Los Angeles. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Sainato, Michael (9 January 2023). "'Lack of respect': outcry over Amazon employee's death on warehouse floor". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Sanginiti, Terri (12 February 2014). "Family: Stricken Amazon worker unnoticed for 8 hours". USA Today. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Palmer, Annie (20 December 2021). "Amazon drivers sought safety at warehouse as tornado hit but found only death and destruction". CNBC. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Palmer, Annie (2 February 2023). "Amazon told lawmakers it wouldn't build storm shelters in warehouses after fatal collapse". CNBC. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Lazare, Sarah; Schuhrke, Jeff (26 June 2023). "Amazon Says a Worker's Death Was Not Work-Related. But a 911 Call Appears to Contradict the Company's Narrative". In These Times. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Sainato, Michael (23 May 2023). "US regulators launch investigation into worker death at Amazon warehouse". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Hoonhout, Tobias (26 November 2019). "Indiana Deliberately Altered Amazon Worker's Death Record in Effort to Lure HQ2: Report". National Review. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ Briquelet, Kate (30 August 2022). "Inside the Tragic Suicide at an Amazon Warehouse". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Action News 5 Staff (3 June 2022). "Woman shot, killed at Amazon distribution center in Horn Lake". Action News 5. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Klick, Andrea (27 October 2022). "What went wrong in Missouri Amazon driver's death? Former workers call for accountability". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Solon, Olivia; Farivar, Cyrus (1 March 2021). "Amazon worker died by suicide at Las Vegas facility". NBC News. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Bouboushian, Rose (23 May 2016). "Family of Killed Amazon Worker Can Amend Case". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Yi, Karen (20 January 2023). "NJ Amazon worker's Prime Day death wasn't from workplace conditions, feds say". The Gothamist. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Yi, Karen (11 August 2022). "3 NJ Amazon workers have died in past month. Federal safety officials are investigating why". NJ Spotlight News. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Sainato, Michael (18 October 2019). "'Go back to work': outcry over deaths on Amazon's warehouse floor". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Wise, Jenna (9 August 2022). "Amazon worker dies after crash at Cumberland County warehouse". Penn Live. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ Ravina, Rachel (16 July 2021). "Roofing worker dies after fall at East Norriton construction site". The Times Herald. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Robinson, Wesley (25 September 2017). "Amazon worker killed in accident was a devoted husband, father". Penn Live. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ Del Ray, Jason (13 June 2014). "Amazon Being Investigated for Worker's Death at U.S. Warehouse". Vox. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Ellis, Sarah; Feit, Noah (8 January 2023). "Man now charged with murder from Amazon facility shooting, Lexington Co. deputies say". The State. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Milligan, E.P. (14 November 2018). "Amazon worker dies of heart attack at facility in Murfreesboro, Tennessee". World Socialist Website. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Wise, Scott (6 May 2022). "Richmond man killed at Amazon construction site was a 'happy soul who loved life'". CBS6 News Richmond. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Potomac Local News (10 November 2021). "Amazon to build second, larger hub in Stafford County". Potomac Local News. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Jamieson, Dave (22 October 2015). "The Life and Death of an Amazon Warehouse Temp". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Maybin, Aaron (13 July 2019). "Man who died in Amazon construction site accident was expecting child with girlfriend". FOX 6 Milwaukee. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Kuhagen, Christopher; Hanley, Erik S. (10 July 2019). "Police ID worker who died in a fall at the Oak Creek Amazon facility construction site". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 1 August 2023.