Contractor dies in fall at Caterpillar foundry in Illinois

MAPLETON, Ill. (AP) - A contractor working at a Caterpillar Inc. foundry in central Illinois fell to his death when he apparently stepped off a ladder at the plant, authorities said.

The Peoria County coroner said Scott M. Adams, 50, of East Peoria, was pronounced dead about 11 a.m. Thursday after his fall at the foundry in Mapleton. Autopsy findings are pending, the (Peoria) Journal Star reported,

Adams was working as a contractor at the foundry from Shaefer Electric in Peoria, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is investigating his death along with the county sheriff's office.

OSHA's preliminary investigation leads the agency to believe Adams stepped off a ladder before falling 20 feet (6.1 meters) to his death through a hole in the floor.

Caterpillar released a statement Thursday saying that it is 'œdeeply saddened" by Adams' death but cannot provide additional information on the incident because it remains under investigation.

'œOur thoughts are with the worker's family, friends and colleagues," the company said.

Mapleton is located about 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) north of Springfield.