Construction Worker Killed At Woburn Site

Authorities say a construction worker has died after he was apparently struck by a piece of rock near a building in Woburn.

The Middlesex district attorney's office says the man in his 30s had been working Tuesday at Woburn City Library, which is undergoing a renovation. He was apparently hit by a piece of rock that had "broken free."

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

W.L French Excavating, a subcontractor on the project, says the victim worked for the Schnabel Foundation Company, which is located in Southborough.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and state police are investigating.

The rate of workplace deaths in Massachusetts hit a 10-year high in 2016, according to a labor-aligned report that was released in April. There were 70 workplace fatalities in 2016, per the report, for a rate of 2 deaths per 100,000 employees.

And construction was by far the most dangerous job sector, accounting for 24 of those fatalities.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom