ORLANDO, Fla — A worker is dead after a car fell on him Wednesday at an Orlando car repair shop, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Deputies said the incident occurred around 1 p.m. at J & J Automotive, located near Landstreet Road and State Highway 528.
The victim was reported to be in his 60s and died at the hospital. The man's death is considered an active investigation, the sheriff's office said.
Another fatal industrial accident happened earlier this week in the Tampa Bay area: 58-year-old Leroy Firestone was standing on a ladder performing maintenance on a garbage truck when the hydraulic blade/door on the side of the truck activated, causing it to close on Firestone’s head.
Firestone died at the scene at the Manatee County Waste Pro business.
"I was blown away. I mean, this is something that nobody's ever prepared for," said Jeff Zint, Firestone's coworker. "He always had a smile on his face. He was a gentle giant."
Family and friends said Firestone was always happy. He was known on the 96K-Rock airwaves for years. The radio station is where he and his wife, Anne Whittemore Firestone, met. She said the news of her husband's death took her breath away.
Deputies say detectives interviewed distraught co-workers and found nothing suspicious about the incident. It's believed there was some sort of miscommunication between Firestone and another employee while repairs were being made to the truck.
