Westborough, Massachusetts, worker dead after 90K pound tractor-trailer falls on him

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Authorities identified the Massachusetts worker killed when a 90,000-pound tractor-trailer that was filled with water bottles fell onto him, killing him.

First responders from Westborough rushed to the business at 4400 Computer Drive around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a report about a worker who was injured and unresponsive.

"We found the male trapped underneath a 53-foot trailer from a tractor-trailer," Chief Patrick Purcell with the Westborough Fire Department said. "The male appeared to be working on the landing gear when there was some issue with that."

Purcell said fire department paramedics performed emergency medical services on the worker when they arrived. "We recognized that the male was deceased with non-viable injuries, and he was pronounced on scene," Purcell said.

On Thursday, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office identified the worker as Pablo Franciso Otano Aponte, 28, of Worcester.

The DA's office said their initial investigation suggested the incident to be a tragic accident.

"The trailer was loaded with water, which complicated the call due to the weight within that trailer," Purcell said. "We estimate that between the contents and the trailer itself, it was about 90,000 pounds."

Purcell said the tractor-trailer was on the victim for an "extensive amount of time."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was at the scene and was part of the investigation into the incident.