Workplace Health and Safety Queensland investigate tractor fatality south of Mackay
A tractor crash, which claimed the life of a Queensland cane farming stalwart and seriously injured his son, is being investigated by Workplace Health and Safety.
Mackay
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Workplace Health and Safety is investigating a fatal tractor incident at a Mackay region farm that claimed the life of cane farming stalwart Tony Galea and seriously injured his son Mark.
The tragedy occurred at the Galea family’s Alligator Creek farm, south of Mackay, about 7am on August 27.
Multiple ambulance crews and a critical care paramedics rushed to the property where Tony Galea, 87 died at the scene.
Mark Galea was taken to Mackay Base Hospital with a back injury.
This comes weeks after a man was crushed to death in a horror tractor incident at Koumala about 3.12pm on August 6.
He had been working alone on the tractor on a hill on the property, which is more than 60km south of Mackay, and did not return home at the expected time.
As a result a family member went searching for him and came across the heartbreaking scene – he had been crushed between the tractor and a tree.
It is believed the tractor came off the track and slid before pinning the man against the tree. Sadly he died at the scene despite desperate attempts to save his life.
On August 28 a man was rushed to hospital with significant injuries following a ride-on mower rollover at Bowen.
Paramedics rushed to a private property off MacDonald Close following reports a man in his 70s had been seriously injured about 11.41am with obvious leg and significant head injuries.
It was initially reported as a tractor-related incident before it was clarified to be involving a ride-on mower.
WHSQ confirmed the first tractor fatality and serious ride-on mower incident were “not work related”.
“WHSQ is investigating the most recent incident where a man died on a family-operated sugar cane farm at Alligator Creek, south of Mackay, last Saturday,” a spokesman said.
“As this matter is ongoing, no further comment can be made.
“A tractor incident three weeks earlier, and the matter involving the ride on mower, were both not work related.”
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