Federal Agency Investigating Death in Forklift Accident at Mokena Business

Federal authorities will be looking into the death of Jose R. Barrera-Ruiz, 35, who was killed in a forklift accident this week at a local landscaping business, local officials confirmed Friday.

According to the Will County Coroner's Office, the Aurora man was pronounced dead 7:22 a.m. at Silver Cross Hospital.

Barrera-Ruiz was operating a forklift at work, Brickman Landscaping, 18911 Wolf Road. An autopsy revealed multiple injuries caused by "a forklift mishap," according to the Coroner's Office press statement.

Police Chief Randy Rajewski told the Chicago Sun-Times police and fire units were called to Brickman Landscaping, where Barrera-Ruiz had been moving equipment with the forklift.

The vehicle flipped over, ejected Barrera-Ruiz and landed on him, Rajewski said.

The investigation has been turned over to Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Neither OSHA officials nor employers at Brickman Landscaping were immediately available for comment Friday.