Man dies in industrial accident at Blount Island warehouse, police say

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said Friday afternoon that a man died in a work-related accident on Blount Island.

According to Sgt. Rudlaff, with the Sheriff’s Office, police were called to the scene at about 2 p.m. Rudlaff said a forklift was moving approximately 500 pounds of a paper product.

Some of the product fell from the pallet, striking the man. He was said to have suffered a major head injury.

The man died of his injuries. He was not identified, but was said to be between the ages of 18 and 20. The forklift operator was said to be cooperating with investigators.

The JSO and Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating. We’re told that while the warehouse is on JaxPort property, the building is leased out to a private company, and the man who died was not employed by JaxPort.

News4JAX looked into other accidents reported at the Blount Island port. They include:

  • Jan. 28, 2021: A woman was hit and killed by a large truck at 9620 Dave Rawls Blvd. on Blount Island. She wasn’t employed by JaxPort, but worked for a tenant of the port.
  • Dec. 7, 2021: A man got stuck in a 150-foot crane at Blount Island. He was rescued.

About the Author

Renee Beninate is a Florida native and award-winning reporter who joined the News4Jax team in June 2021.

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