A 16-year-old died Saturday from injuries he suffered June 29 in an industrial accident at a sawmill in Florence.
Tragic Accident At Florence, Wisconsin Sawmill
On 29 June, according to the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, a 16-year-old male working near the Michigan border in Florence, located in Northern Wisconsin, and was injured while working at Florence Hardwoods.
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office was called last Thursday to a report of an unresponsive teenager at the Florence Hardwoods logging company.
The Sheriff’s Office says the teen was transferred to a local hospital before being sent to Children’s Wisconsin.
The boy was taken to Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson, then Milwaukee Children’s Hospital, before succumbing to unspecified injuries and being pronounced dead on 1 July.
The teenager’s role at the company was not immediately clear, nor was the nature of the accident. The sheriff’s office said the Office of Health and Safety Administration (SHOA) had been notified of the accident, which was under investigation as of Monday.
OSHA is investigating the death and has referred to the U.S. Department of Labor for possible child labor violations concerning dangerous jobs.
Under Wisconsin state law, minors are prevented from holding several logging-related occupations, including working in sawmills, felling timber, and using chainsaws.
A GoFundMe post has been set up for the family.
“Our small community is in absolute shock,” the page reads. “Even if you cannot donate, please lift Mikey, his family, friends, and medical team up in prayer.”
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