Worker Killed in Truck Accident at Steel Plant in Ecorse

41-year-old Heather Warren was killed in a truck accident while she was working at the U.S. Steel Great Lakes Works Cold Mill Shipping plant in Ecorse, Michigan. Warren had been working for the company for three years as a shift supervisor, handling office work and shipping.

On the day she was killed, Heather Warren was on the floor working as a spotter, helping trucks make their way through the plant’s loading area. According to Sheryl Warren, sister of Heather Warren, the accident occurred when Heather was busy directing one truck and the driver of another truck, who didn’t have a spotter, backed up, not seeing Heather. Heather Warren was killed instantly. Sheryl Warren told the media that her sister would occasionally work on the floor, but it wasn’t part of her regular job responsibilities. She also stated that she didn’t believe her sister had been properly trained to be on the floor directing trucks.

Warren’s brother, Carlton Warren, also worked at the plant and told Fox 2 Detroit that there are rules to prevent tragedies such as this, but he doesn’t the rules weren’t being followed that day. Warren’s family is planning to take legal action.

Ecorse Police are continuing to investigate the accident to pin-point the exact events that led to Warren’s death.The 47-year-old truck driver who hit Warren is currently in custody of Ecorse Police, who want to pursue homicide charges against the driver. Details of the case are being reviewed by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and will later decide if they will press charges against the truck driver. The truck driver was an employee of ALCO Transportation.

U.S. Steel issued a statement saying, “On Saturday, April 18, a U.S. Steel employee was fatally injured in an incident involving ALCO Transportation at Great Lakes Works Cold Mill Shipping. We take the safety of our employees very seriously and we will work closely with the United Steelworkers and other agencies in the investigation. An investigation into the incident is underway. No further details regarding the incident are available at this time. The company expresses our deepest sympathies to the victim’s family at this time.” ALCO Transportation has not commented on the incident.

This accident is the third fatal worker accident to happen at this plant in recent history. In April 2014, a worker was killed when a crane flipped over and another worker died of smoke and soot inhalation following an explosion in December 2013.

Sheryl Warren remembers her sister as being a, “…very outgoing, bubbly, giving person. She was a rock.”

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