BOSTON (WHDH) - Authorities are investigating after two workers were fatally struck by a dump truck at a construction site in Boston on Wednesday morning.
Emergency crews responding to a report of two people struck in the area of 190 High St. around 8 a.m. found two workers inside a hole who had been hit by the truck, according to Boston Fire Commissioner John Dempsey.
A technical rescue was initiated and once the vehicle was moved and the scene was deemed safe, a firefighter and a paramedic were lowered into the hole to assess the workers’ injuries, Dempsey said.
The two workers were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Boston Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long.
Heartbroken family members identified the men as 32-year-old Carlos Gutierrez and 27-year-old Jordan Romero.
One witness who called 911 said the crew was doing work to prevent flooding at a nearby building.
“One of the guys tried to get the truck to turn on. It was in a high idle, it backed up, hit the two guys, pushed them into the hole,” he described. “The truck kept on going over and ended up staying over the hole and I rushed over to the hole to see what was happening and I saw two gentlemen in there that were just lying in there.”
Speaking at the scene, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said, “Right now we don’t know if it’s a crime; we know that it’s a tragedy and my office is here making sure these families know that we take this very seriously.”
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh added that the city is working closely with authorities to determine what caused this incident and that Atlantic Coast Utilities will not be allowed to perform work in the city until an investigation is complete.
“As a former laborer, the safety of our workers is of paramount importance to me,” he said. “I’m heartbroken that two hardworking people lost their lives so suddenly and tragically this morning, and we will work tirelessly to understand how this happened in order to create safer conditions in the future.”
In a statement, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission wrote:
“Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) extends heartfelt condolences to the families of the two utility construction workers who sustained fatal injuries this morning on High Street, Boston. BWSC will cooperate with law enforcement authorities as the investigation moves forward.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local authorities are continuing their investigation.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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