LA Area Redondo Beach ILWU Local 13 driver killed when truck plunges into water at Port of Los Angeles

LA Area Redondo Beach ILWU Local 13 driver killed when truck plunges into water at Port of Los Angeles
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_23578131/driver-killed-when-truck-fal...
By Brian Sumers Staff Writer

brian.sumers@dailybreeze.com @briansumers on Twitter

Posted:   07/01/2013 04:25:43 PM PDT
Updated:   07/02/2013 07:45:42 AM PDT
A truck driver at the Port of Los Angeles died when his truck fell into the water on Monday afternoon, officials said. The incident occurred at the Evergreen Container Terminal, port spokesman Phillip Sanfield said. The truck, called a utility tractor rig, hauls containers around the port. (Sean Hiller / Staff Photographer)
7-01-2013 - A truck driver at the Port of Los Angeles died when his truck fell into the water on Monday afternoon,officials said. Brian Humphrey, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman, said the department response included rescue divers. (Sean Hiller / Staff Photographer)

A truck driver at the Port of Los Angeles died Monday afternoon when his vehicle plunged into the harbor and he apparently became trapped inside, officials said.

The victim was identified as Mark Passaro, 45, of Redondo Beach, said coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter.

The man was found by Los Angeles Fire Department divers in the cab of the truck 50 feet beneath the surface, port spokesman Phillip Sanfield said.

The accident occurred at around 3 p.m. at the Evergreen Container Terminal, Sanfield said. The truck, called a utility tractor rig, hauls containers around the port, he said.

"They are not sure what caused it to go into the water," Sanfield said.

He said the truck was attached to a chassis when it entered the water but it was not carrying a container. Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said the chassis and cab were found separately in the water.

Initially, officials said they were trying to revive the man, though Humphrey quickly reported that the "man sadly proved beyond help and has been declared dead."

During the rescue, Humphrey said an L.A. firefighter/driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital.

Sanfield said this was first incident of its kind in his four years working at the port. But

Advertisement

he noted that the drivers are maneuvering in tight spaces.
"There's no fencing," Sanfield said. "These vehicles are allowed to run pretty close to the water's edge."

Sanfield said port police were working Monday afternoon to try to determine the cause of the accident.

"It's transitioning from a rescue to an investigation scene," he said.