City Worker Killed In Accident At Sewage Plant

Chrissie Cole

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A New York City Department of Environmental Protection worker was killed when a conveyor belt collapsed crushing him beneath its steel supports, according to city officials.

The accident happened when workers at the Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant, were moving the conveyor belt outside.

As the workers got the conveyor belt outside, it twisted in the middle and fell on Gennaro Montello, 45. The device, which had been on wheels, was too heavy for the workers to lift by hand, but a contractor with a forklift used his machinery to pick it up off of Mr. Montello. Within minutes emergency workers arrived.

He died at Lutheran Medical Center.

Another worker, Joseph DiGiovanni and others “courageously tried to free him” after the collapse. Mr. DiGiovanni suffered injury, but was in stable condition on Friday.

The Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau is investigating the accident to determine if there were flaws in the construction of the belt.