Man dies after accident on Prudence Island Ferry dock

Contractor falls 25 to 30 feet from bucket truck on the dock

By Patrick Luce
Posted 8/15/17

A man who fell nearly 30 feet while working on the Prudence Island Ferry Dock on Thames Street last Wednesday afternoon has died, Bristol Police have confirmed.

The man, a private contractor hired …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Man dies after accident on Prudence Island Ferry dock

Contractor falls 25 to 30 feet from bucket truck on the dock

Posted

A man who fell nearly 30 feet while working on the Prudence Island Ferry Dock on Thames Street last Wednesday afternoon has died, Bristol Police have confirmed.

The man, a private contractor hired by ferry operator A&R Marine “did pass away as a result of his injuries,” Bristol Police Capt. Brian Burke confirmed Tuesday morning. The worker was in the bucket of a bucket truck attempting to move a shed that is used as a ticket booth for the ferry when a strap holding the shed broke, according to a witness who works near the dock. The force reportedly threw the man from the bucket, and he fell 25 to 30 feet, Capt. Burke said.

He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he later passed away.

Bristol Police and Fire officials responded to the accident just after noon Wednesday. The Occupational and Health Safety Administration is leading the investigation. OSHA Director Patrick Griffin was not immediately available for comment. Calls since last Wednesday to ferry operator Prudence & Bay Islands Transport have been directed to a prerecorded message stating, “We are helping other customers on the phone right now. Please try again.”

Prudence Island Ferry, OSHA

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.