Florida Man Inside Porta-Potty at Landfill Crushed by Bulldozer in Freak Accident, Police Say

A worker at a Florida landfill was killed in a freak accident when a porta-potty he was inside of was accidentally crushed by a bulldozer, according to published news reports.

The victim, identified as Aaron Henderson, 40, of Winter Haven, was working as a contracted traffic controller at the North Central Landfill in Polk County when he was killed on Friday around 5:10 p.m.

A spokesperson with the Polk County Sheriff’s Department said the bulldozer operator was driving up an embankment to park for the night. The front blade of the bulldozer, which he said was elevated about three to four feet off the ground, partially obstructed the driver's view. The driver reportedly was unable able to see directly in front of him, WTSP-TV reported. 

As the driver reached level ground and began turning the bulldozer, he heard a loud noise and realized that he had gone over a porta-potty. The driver was not aware a porta-potty had been in the area, the sheriff’s office said.

“He [the driver] immediately exited the bulldozer and ran towards the porta-potty to see if anyone was inside of it,” the spokesperson said. “At that time, he observed Henderson unresponsive inside the porta-potty," 

A foreman called 911, but Henderson could not be saved. He died at the scene, a report said. 

This was the first death at the North Central Landfill, according to WTSP-TV.

An investigation is underway, but authorities have described Henderson's death as a “tragic, industrial accident,” The New York Post reported. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident as well.

“Our Board asks that you keep the family and friends of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers,” Martha Santiago, chair of the Board of County Commissioners, said in a statement to WTSP-TV. 

“We have never experienced anything like this here,” County Manager Bill Beasley said of the tragedy.

Beasley said the North Central Landfill is a “dynamic, industrial environment with the movement of hundreds of trucks coming to unload heavy equipment at the Landfill all day long.” 

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