A workplace incident at a Lancaster County auto shop has turned deadly, prompting an investigation by federal safety officials. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an inquiry following a fatality that occurred Wednesday (February 11) at RaceKrafters Automotive on Arcadia Road in Lancaster.
According to information confirmed by an OSHA spokesperson, the incident happened Wednesday morning around 9:55 a.m. when emergency services were dispatched to the scene. Lancaster City Police and Fire Departments responded to the call at the 1300 block of Arcadia Road.
Few details have been released about the circumstances surrounding the death, including the identity of the victim. The Lancaster County Coroner was called to the scene, but has not yet released information about the deceased.
RaceKrafters Automotive addressed the incident in a social media post, stating that the person who died was a member of an excavating crew working behind their building. "We send our condolences and prayers to the family and workers involved," the company wrote on Facebook.
Local law enforcement has provided limited information about the incident. A Lancaster City police spokesperson indicated they could not provide details regarding what happened and directed inquiries to OSHA. The police department's Communications Manager, Stacia Korman, described it as a "workplace incident" that falls under OSHA's jurisdiction.
The U.S. Department of Labor confirmed that OSHA has opened an investigation into the incident. Federal regulations give the agency six months to complete their investigation, and officials have stated they will not provide additional information during that time.
This incident follows other recent workplace fatalities in Pennsylvania, including a volunteer firefighter who died in an ATV accident and a contractor who died at the Samsung Taylor semiconductor plant construction site.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities working to determine the cause of the incident and whether any workplace safety violations occurred.