Tippecanoe County, Ind.—
The Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office has confirmed to Fox59 News two workers were killed Wednesday morning in an accident at a radio tower site.The accident occurred around 9 a.m. at the WXXB tower site located northeast of Buck Creek, near the intersection of County Roads 600 North and 900 East. The Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office as well as officials with the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.
A five-man crew from ERI, Incorporated had been installing the radio tower at the site.The two had been working about 340 feet high when they suddenly fell along with a piece of equipment that was being used to add another segment to the tower.
"It's a metal structure of some kind that just goes along with the tower construction." ," said Lieutenant Dan McGrew with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators think a platform more than half way up the 500 ft tall tower came loose. IOSHA officials have not said whether the worksite will be shut down after the initial investigation.
The men who were killed have been identified by authorities as 32-year-old Paul Aliff of Mesquite, Texas and 29-year-old Ernest Garcia of Laredo, Texas.
ERI, inc. is based in Chandler, Indiana.
