Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 14326433 - Employee killed when crushed by zoo elephant

Accident Summary Nr: 14326433 -- Report ID: 0317500 -- Event Date: 11/18/2002
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
305105371	11/19/2002	8422	0	The Zoological Society Of Pittsburgh

Abstract: On November 18, 2002, during the course of a normal daily walk for a female elephant and her calf, the mother elephant refused to continue along the path of the walk. When Employee #1, the elephant keeper, attempted to prompt her along with an ankus, she turned towards the keeper and had worked him along a hillside. Employee #1 lost his footing on an accumulation of slippery leaves. The elephant at that point started to drive Employee #1 into the ground with her head and speared him with her tusk. She continued to attack Employee #1 by kicking him and driving him into the ground with her head. Other keepers were alerted and diverted the elephant away onto paths secured by zoo vehicles. Both elephants were lead back to their barns by vegetation and produce being thrown from the back of zoo vehicles. Employee #1 died of crushing injuries to the chest.

Keywords: CHEST, ELEPHANT, ANIMAL HANDLER, CRUSHED, CONTUSION

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	305105371			Fatality	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Occupation not reported

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