ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque city worker was seriously injured on the job Wednesday in an accident involving a forklift.
Mayor Tim Keller said he visited the worker at the hospital Wednesday, and his family is very shaken up.
He says the city is investigating what went wrong.
The mayor says the accident happened Wednesday at Montessa Park, a city facility south of the Sunport.
The city says two Parks and Rec workers were using a Bobcat with a forklift when something happened with the forklift.
It fell on top of one of the workers, partially crushing him underneath. The city says he has a broken clavicle, six broken ribs and cuts on his face.
He’s recovering in the hospital.
“There is severe bone and tissue damage with respect to shoulders and ribs,” Mayor Keller said.
“I know every several years, there’s accidents usually at Solid Waste and sometimes people actually die because of them, statistically…there’s usually a major accident every couple of years…whenever you’re dealing with heavy machinery, a lot of these jobs do require a lot of safety risks,” he said.
The city is not naming the employee, but the mayor says he has worked for the city for more than 20 years and has an excellent track record.
Another Parks and Rec employee injured his hand, but the city didn’t explain how.
