Construction worker critically injured at San Benito work site

cryan@valleystar.com

956-430-6292

SAN BENITO — A forklift driver was critically injured Friday afternoon when the large lifting machine flipped on top of him while moving a load of bricks at a construction site at Sullivan Elementary School, officials and witnesses said.

The unidentified driver was pinned underneath the forklift, said Juan Manual Machuca Sr., who said he saw the incident from the porch of his house across the street from the site.

The man was taken to Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, where he was listed in critical condition Friday evening. Hospital spokesman Mike Swartz said he could not release the name of the injured worker.

The forklift tipped on its side while the driver was trying to move a load of bricks, Machuca said. A group of workers tried to pick up the truck, but it was too heavy.

That’s when Machuca said he called paramedics.

San Benito police, firefighters, school district police and EMS were all on the scene. On-scene personnel would only say the forklift flipped, trapping the driver.

"Our prayers go out to the man who was injured and his family," San Benito schools Superintendent Antonio Limon said.

-30-

ela