A Chicago worker was killed on Wednesday following a construction site workplace accident downtown. The fatal accident claimed the life of 39 year-old Michael Gryga. According to reports, the fatal Chicago work injury occurred as Michael and another Peoples Gas employee were testing equipment in the downtown area below street level. The men were working near the Willis Tower around 1:45 p.m. when the tragedy took place. While the workers were testing a gas pipe with compressed air, a section of the pressurized pipe struck them. Kevin Spillers, a Chicago Board of Trade employee who was passing by, jumped to the aid of the injured workers.
Both of the men were taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition according to a spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department. The workers were helping with the Wacker drive reconstruction project when the fatal accident occurred. The accident is still being investigated by Peoples Gas, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and a federal agency.
If you have been the victim of a workplace injury, you should contact an attorney immediately to protect your rights. The Klest Law Firm handles workers compensation cases for all types of workplace injuries.