Caterpillar worker dies when falling into container used to melt metal, officials say
A worker at a Caterpillar foundry died instantly after he fell into a crucible at the Illinois worksite, officials say, according to media reports.
The incident happened on Thursday, June 2, at Caterpillar’s facility in Mapleton in Central Illinois, Peoria County coroner Jamie Harwood said. Steven Dierkes, 39, was working near a crucible when he fell into it, the coroner said.
A crucible is a “vessel in which metallic elements are melted to be cast into new objects or to create a new alloy.” Crucibles are heated to extremely high temperatures, and Harwood said the Caterpillar crucible was at least 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dierkes died instantly, according to Harwood. No foul play is suspected.
After the crucible’s contents were given several hours to cool, officials sorted through the metal fragments and found Dierkes’ remains, the coroner said.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Mapleton, Illinois, facility on June 2,” Caterpillar said in a statement to WMBD. “Our thoughts are with this employee’s family, friends and colleagues. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.”
Dierkes was a father of three girls, ages 12, 5 and 4. He was described in an obituary as “a loving person who enjoyed laughter from any source he could find.”
“He was a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart,” the obituary states. “He would have done anything for anyone with no expectation of anything in return.”
History of dangerous incidents at the Mapleton foundry
It’s the second death at the Mapleton foundry in the last six months. Scott Adams, 50, died in an accident at the facility in December, according to an obituary.
Adams is believed to have fallen 20 feet off a ladder through a hole in the floor, the Journal Star reported, citing a preliminary investigation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The Mapleton foundry is one of the largest in the United States, Caterpillar said. The foundry, which has more than 800 employees, has the ability to melt 1,000 tons of iron every day.
Even before the deaths of Dierkes and Adams, the facility has faced serious OSHA violations. In 2020, it was fined $5,750 following a complaint over a fall. In 2019, it faced $4,337 and $17,711 fines following separate violations. Two years prior, it faced a $25,868 penalty after a worker was struck by a crane he believed had faulted.
Another Caterpillar worker suffered six broken ribs following a separate 2017 incident when he climbed a chair to reach a part and fell onto a concrete floor, OSHA said. The worksite was fined $5,079.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 6:46 AM with the headline "Caterpillar worker dies when falling into container used to melt metal, officials say."