Worker crushed to death

JAKARTA (JP): A 24-year-old construction worker was crushed to death by a crane's platform loaded with heavy steel blocks Saturday evening in Cibitung, 45 kilometers east of here.

According to Slamet, a security guard of the factory project, the heavy load was released unintentionally by the crane's operator, who was in shock when he learned what had happened.

The victim, identified as Muhani, worked daily at the PT Gunung Garuda site. He was carrying cement on his back when he hit the moving platform, said Slamet.

When Muhani fell, fellow workers screamed for help, causing the crane's operator to panic.

"The operator then just let the heavy load fall to the ground, which happened to be where Muhani was lying in pain," said Slamet.

The security guard refused to identify the crane's operator, saying police were investigating the incident. He said it was merely an accident and not a deliberate action.

The incident, which occurred at 10 p.m., was blamed on poor lighting at the project and workers' fatigue.

"It's not murder, it was an accident," he said. "They were all night-shift workers. Can you imagine what it must be like to work under those conditions during those working hours?

"Muhani and the crane operator were both good workers and friends of mine," he said.

Muhani will be buried today in Pandeglang district, West Java, where his parents and wife reside. He was recently married. (04)