62-year-old man killed in northwest Indiana construction accident

A 62-year-old man was killed in a construction accident Wednesday afternoon in northwest Indiana.

About noon, three members of a local construction company were replacing sewer lines near Lakeshore Drive and Pennsylvania Street in Hobart, according to Hobart police. One crew member was operating an excavator, another was inside the excavated hole and the third was on the ground.

The operator of the excavator was inside the cab and turned to speak with the crew member on the ground, police said. As he turned back to situate himself in the seat, a piece of his clothing caught a lever, which controlled the bucket on the excavator.

The bucket, which was positioned inside the hole, moved forward and pinned the crew member in the hole against the wall, police said.

The Hobart Fire Department and Technical Rescue Team assisted with the recovery of the victim from the excavation site.

The worker, 62-year-old Guy Volk of South Haven, Indiana, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the Lake County coroner’s office. His cause and manner of death were still pending Thursday morning.

The operator of the excavator did not show any signs of intoxication or impairment, police said. The death investigation remains open and ongoing.