On Wednesday (25 January) a freak accident with a forklift claimed the life of a 28-year-old woman on the KWV site in Paarl.
Paarl police spokesperson, Capt Louise du Plessis, confirmed the incident and identified the victim as Roché Fortuin.
In an official press release issued by KWV, it is confirmed that “a female worker of a third-party supplier was run over by a forklift shortly after 11:30”.
“We believe the person died from her injuries shortly after impact. This was confirmed when the on-site nurse could not detect the victim’s pulse,” the statement said.
According to Du Plessis, eyewitness accounts of the tragedy reported that neither the forklift operator nor Fortuin were aware of each other in the moment that led to the impeding danger that would claim her life.
“The operator only realised what had happened once he stopped the forklift after impact and, upon inspection, saw that the victim was trapped underneath the machine,” explains Du Plessis.
Emergency services were also quickly on the scene and pronounced her dead. All other operational activities were halted for the rest of the day and personnel were sent home.
“We will ensure that the close relatives of the victim receive the necessary support, as well as the KWV employee who drove the forklift.”
The Paarl Post reached out to various role players after an anonymous tip from the public informed the newspaper that a woman ended up beneath a forklift on the KWV premises and died.
KWV says the accident will be investigated, with their full support, by the police and the Department of Labour.
