Man crushed to death by heavy glass

A 37-year-old cargo handler died crushed under a sheet of glass weighing almost two tonnes which fell on top of him as he was helping to move it yesterday morning.

Carmelo Balzan, of Marsascala, was standing on a road in Żebbuġ as the heavy glass, encased in a wooden frame, was being manoeuvred out of a container by a fork lifter, sources said.

The load was about to be shifted onto a smaller fork lifter that would have then transferred it into a warehouse in Mayor Vella Street. At some point the glass sheet toppled over onto Mr Balzan.

The victim, who was married with a teenage daughter, worked at White Brothers Limited, the company handling the cargo.

The sources said it was the second container of glass that was being unloaded yesterday morning when the accident happened.

The police said Mr Balzan was certified dead on the spot.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi carried out an inquiry and appointed various experts to assist him.

Civil Protection Department personnel and Occupational Health and Safety Authority officials were on site.