Man killed after towboat hits Eads Bridge, knocking worker off platform

[Sherman A1]

A man working on the Eads Bridge was killed about 3:15 p.m. Thursday when a southbound towboat pushing barges ran into the bridge, St. Louis Fire Department officials said.

The impact caused the man to fall from some scaffolding on which he was working and land on a barge. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

No other information about the accident or the victim was available.

The bridge was closed to traffic for a time. MetroLink used a shuttle to transport its riders between its East St. Louis and Busch Stadium stops for a time, but train service resumed shortly before 5 p.m.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/man-killed-after-barge-hits-eads-bridge-knocking-worker-off/article_ff33cdae-f6d6-5182-a780-da94d503e434.html

[udbcrzy2]

1. That same company has had other accidents too

From the link: 'OSHA said three employees of Thomas Industrial Coatings died in separate incidents in 2006, and OSHA cited the company in each of those cases.'

[udbcrzy2]

2. James ‘Jimmy’ Pigue, 24, Dittmer

His obituary
http://www.myleaderpaper.com/obituaries/james-jimmy-pigue-dittmer/article_b7d1b4ec-2cd0-11e5-a918-335df9bce087.html

Local story
http://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/accidents/dittmer-man-working-on-eads-bridge-killed-when-tugboat-strikes/article_0b970372-2f2c-11e5-b18c-abc9f13ae694.html