Worker Killed at Loon Lake

[Ken]

EL DORADO COUNTY - A SMUD employee was killed on the job Monday morning when a piece of heavy equipment fell on him east of Pollock Pines in the Crystal Basin area, authorities said.

Arthur Verbeck, 58, was loading heavy snow-removal equipment onto a trailer at a Sacramento Municipal Utility District water-storage pond near Loon Lake, 20 miles north of Highway 50, said sheriff's Lt. Marc Adams.

Verbeck, an El Dorado County resident, was pinned under the equipment and pronounced dead at the scene at 11:40 a.m., Adams said.


Did we lose our tour guide? I wonder if he was loading this alone.

[Pepe]

That sucks!

[MrBill]

EL DORADO COUNTY - A SMUD employee was killed on the job Monday morning when a piece of heavy equipment fell on him east of Pollock Pines in the Crystal Basin area, authorities said.

Arthur Verbeck, 58, was loading heavy snow-removal equipment onto a trailer at a Sacramento Municipal Utility District water-storage pond near Loon Lake, 20 miles north of Highway 50, said sheriff's Lt. Marc Adams.

Verbeck, an El Dorado County resident, was pinned under the equipment and pronounced dead at the scene at 11:40 a.m., Adams said.


Did we lose our tour guide? I wonder if he was loading this alone.

No My brother in-law said that our guy is one of the youngest sup's SMUD has. Think that hes about mid thirties. It's about time I start looking into our tour.

[Rock Hugger]

He was a coworker of my brother in law. What I understand happened is he was loading a crane on a trailer and the boom shifted causing the crane to shift its weight and start sliding off the trailer. When the crane started to roll he tried to jump off out the way but did not get clear and it landed on him killing him instantly. He was not alone on the job but his coworkers were not able to do anything for him. It was not my bro-in-law that was with him, he was at the yard when he heard about it over the radio. This may not be acurate, my sister told me that I have not yet spoken to my bother-in-law.

[Ken]

Dang. That sucks.


Unfortunately, having worked at the airport for 10 years around big and dangerous equipment and planes....just about anytime someone got hurt or equipment was broken....9.5 times out of 10...someone cut a corner, or didn't follow a procedure.

Terry and I worked out there together....he'll say the same thing.


Let's hope, this was the .5 times....and it wasn't caused by carelessness.

[dp]

Sorry to hear that. My buddies brother in law was loading a John Deer onto a wet trailer...same thing....same result.