MGW-Fla

Portion of an article from today here. Sad scene and a reminder that you can't be safe enough when working under a car.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A car fell on top of a 27-year-old Navy man and killed him at a Northside home around midday Friday, Jacksonville police said.

Police said the man was changing the oil in his car in the 13700 block of Fish Eagle Drive when one of two scissor jacks slipped and the car fell.

Police said the man's wife came home for lunch and found her husband dead in the garage, crushed by the car he was working on.

"Apparently, something malfunctioned with the jack," Lt. Reginald Lott said. "He was found underneath the vehicle. We don't know how long he had been there. He was pronounced dead at the scene."...............

robot808

Poor wife. Wish the guy wasn't under a car supported by jacks.

SeanR

Wife told me the other day that that is the way she would fake my death.

I just wanted you all to know, so if this happens to me, it was NOT an accident.

Speedtoys

Friend of mine lost his dad in 9th grade this way...he was a GREAT kid before it, but within a year..he'd fallen entirely..expulsion, petty crimes..and about our Jr year, killed 3 of 4 brothers in a high speed rollover jumping hills on Grade-B roads in nowhere Iowa where we all lived...no seatbelts, everyone was ejected out windows and sunroof.


The people you hurt are the ones that live when you make mistakes like this...I think of dude everytime I jack up a car at home...and it's a personal hardline item I view when cruising the paddock at the track.

jeff spahn

Where in Iowa, when. I live there now.

Speedtoys

Ida Grove, IA...that was about 1985.

Moss family.

rgs944

Ida Grove, Ia. That's the Castle town right? I believe shorelander boat stations are built there.

Speedtoys

That is correct. Godberson family runs that..or did back then.


They also make some of the worlds largest concrete paving machines too..you seem em all over the world. Gomaco is the name.


The airport there is kinda cool.

http://www.idagroveia.com/Resources/..._business.html

rgs944

The entire town is cool. Where else can you eat in a Pizza Hut with a moat around it!

Speedtoys

The roller skating rink is trick too.

Nicole

Something similar happened to the son of an ex-coworker. He tried to do some work on his BMTroubleYou when the car fell on him. Fortunately, everyone was home and came running; they pulled him out, while the paramedics were on their way. He had multiple fractures on his skull and jaw and some swelling to the brain, but she says the only lasting effect is that one eye is blind from trauma to its nerve. The surgeon told her that the only reason her son survived was because he was young and very healthy.

Mike Frye

Noted.

brianrheffron

We all know that you should never work under a car
that is supported on jacks. We all know this but still
accidents happen. Trolley jacks and scissor jacks
don't collapse straight down. The car topples off the
jacks and can move quite a bit sideways so don't risk it
even when you are working to the side of the car on
wheels, hubs and brakes.
Always work on a firm level surface and use axle stands.
If raising one end only then always apply parking brake,
trans in park and chock the wheels.
When working under my cars I back all this up by
stacking spare wheels with tyres under the car.

NickT

Great point!!!

This just happened to the husband of one of my wife's friends... They have two very young kids and he has been in a coma now for 4 months.. They own their own business and stand to lose everything to pay for the bills..

Sad.

cold_beer839

If only she had got him those jack stands he wanted for Christmas.......