OSHA investigating Menards accident that led to death

1:15 p.m. UPDATE

SYCAMORE – A division of the United States Department of Labor is investigating the fatal accident that killed a Menards worker Tuesday in Sycamore.

Sycamore emergency responders were called to the scene in the back storage lot of Menards in Sycamore following an accident involving a forklift. A man operating the forklift apparently became trapped in the machine and was crushed.

Evaristo Alvarado, 56, of Sandwich was pronounced dead by DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller at 3 p.m. Tuesday. According to information heard on the police scanner Tuesday, he was not conscious or breathing when emergency responders were called to the scene.

Rhonda Burke, spokeswoman for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said an investigation was opened at the Menards site Tuesday afternoon. Menards officials reported the fatal incident to OSHA in the time required by OSHA rules, she said.

During an investigation, OSHA officials will investigate the work site to identify any possible health or safety violations. That may involve interviewing employees and taking photos of the site, Burke said. The process could take as long as six months to complete.

ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY STORY

A Sandwich man was killed Tuesday afternoon at the Sycamore Menards after being involved in an accident with a forklift.

Sycamore fire and police departments, as well as the DeKalb County Coroner’s Office, were called about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to Menards for an industrial accident involving one person, Sycamore Police Sgt. Michael Anderson said. The man had turned blue and was not conscious or breathing, according to information heard on a police scanner.

The man has been identified as Evaristo Alvarado, 56, of Sandwich, according to a news release issued Wednesday morning by DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller. He was pronounced dead by Miller at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the back storage lot of Menards.

On Tuesday, Anderson said a man operating a forklift became trapped in the machine and was crushed. He said additional information could not be released immediately while the investigation is pending.

When asked whether anyone witnessed the incident, Anderson said authorities are still determining what happened.

The man is a Menards employee, but he did not work at the Sycamore store in the 1800 block of Mercantile Drive, Anderson said. He worked at a Menards distribution center in Plano and was at the Sycamore store doing maintenance work.

Anderson said he anticipated additional information would be released today. Anderson and Miller said the name of the deceased initially was held pending notice of family members.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called to the store and released police from the scene shortly after 6 p.m., Anderson said. No one else was injured.

A Sycamore ambulance left the scene shortly after 3 p.m. with no lights and was followed by a Sycamore Police vehicle.

The Sycamore Fire Department left the scene about a half hour later.

Media at the scene were not allowed access to the part of the store where the death occurred.

The Sycamore Fire Department referred calls for comment to the Sycamore Police Department. A message left with an operator at the Sycamore Menards for the manager was not immediately returned; the operator said the store would have no comment.

"There was an accident at our Sycamore store today involving one of our team members and we've learned that he has unfortunately passed away," a statement from the corporate Menards office emailed Tuesday evening to the Daily Chronicle read. "Out of respect for our team member and his family, we will reserve comment until we have more information. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time."

• Daily Chronicle reporters Caitlin Mullen and Nicole Weskerna contributed to this report.