Worker killed in demolition collapse at Georgia paper mill

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) – Fire officials say a worker is dead after he was pinned beneath falling debris while doing demolition work at a Georgia paper mill. Savannah fire department spokeswoman Jenel Few says a boiler platform collapsed Tuesday morning at the mill owned by International Paper as a demolition crew was cutting through pipes to remove the structure. She told news outlets that a man working on a manlift was trapped beneath a mass of fallen boiler pipes. Few said a rescue team of firefighters cleared a path to the worker, but found him dead.
International Paper identified the man as a contract worker named Juan Medina. Company spokeswoman Karen Bogans said Memphis, Tennessee, based International Paper is working with authorities to determine what caused the collapse.
The company released the following statement regarding the incident:

We are saddened to learn of the loss of one of our contractor team members, Juan Medina. This is a difficult day for all of us here at the Savannah mill and our thoughts are with Juan’s family, friends and colleagues. We are working with authorities to determine the cause of this accident and we will share the findings once we are able to do so. Safety is paramount for all of us at International Paper, which makes today’s news that much more difficult to process.

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