Two men were killed in Lockport when they were apparently crushed under fallen slabs of Corian, a plastic material used in countertops, the Niagara County Sheriff's office said Monday.
The Sheriff's office received a call just before 1:30 a.m. Monday morning. The men were declared dead at the scene, after first responders were called to XPO Logisitics on IDA Park Drive, the office said.
"Eleven slabs of Corian, each weighing approximtely 800 pounds, were being unloaded off of a trailer when they collapsed on the workers," the Sheriff's office said in a prepared statement.
XPO Logisitics is an international transportation and logistics firm with local facilities in Lockport and Tonawanda. In a written statement, the company confirmed the accident and resulting deaths, and said, “We're working with our safety team and local law enforcement to understand the circumstances under which this tragedy occurred. Our deepest sympathies are with their families and our Lockport team members.”
Michael Scime, Area Director for the Buffalo Area office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed that his office had been notified of the accident, and that its compliance officers had been sent to the warehouse. OSHA has up to six months to conduct its investigation and issue its findings. Scime said there does not appear to be any history of accidents or investigatons by OSHA at the XPO Logistics warehouse.
The names of the men killed are being withheld by authorities as investigations into the accident continue.
Corian, a versatile plastic used in countertops and benches, is a primary product of DuPont's Tonawanda Yerkes plant.