Preliminary Report - Fatality #14 - July 3, 2013

On July 3, 2013, at approximately 4:30p.m., a fatal accident occurred at the Maple Creek Preparation Plant's Ginger Hill #1 Pond (1211 PA200058-01 ). An 87 year old male was operating a skid steer type machine with a brush hog mowing device mounted on the front of it. He was mowing the impoundment embankment, when for some unknown reason the skid steer machine traveled into the impoundment's waters. The accident occurred 541 feet from where the gate across the breast of the impoundment is located and the embankment in this area is approximately 40 degrees. The victim appeared to be mowing the embankment in a vertical direction between 9 to 11 feet in length from the level road on top of the impoundment's breast down toward the body of water. The victim's body was recovered and the coroner arrived at approximately 1:00 a.m., on July 4, 2013, to pronunce the victim deceased. A 1 030) order was issued to preserve the scene of the accident. The skid steer machine is still in the impoundment's waters and not visible from the embankment.