SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 15, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — One person is dead after an industrial accident Wednesday morning at the University of Utah Hospital.
“Shortly after 11 a.m., a tragic accident occurred on the west side loading dock of University of Utah Hospital, just north of the School of Medicine,” said a news release from U of U Health.
The incident took place outside of the building when an MRI machine fell while being relocated from the fourth floor to the first floor of the hospital.
An employee with the company that was contracted to move the device fell alongside the machine, the news release said. A rapid response team transferred the patient to U of U Hospital’s Emergency Department, where the patient later died. Another contracted employee suffered a minor injury in the incident.
Hazmat crews also responded to the scene.
“This was meant to be a milestone occasion for our team, and something that has been in the works for several years,” said Alison Flynn Gaffney, executive director of University Hospital Service Lines and System planning. “We are incredibly saddened to learn that someone tragically died in this incident and our hearts go out to the family. We will work (with) all parties involved to understand what happened and identify the root cause, but our immediate concern is supporting all those affected.”
The deceased has not been identified pending notification of family.
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
