Community Corner
Cloverdale Sawmill Worker Dies Clearing Machine Jam
43-year old Raul S. Lule of Ukiah was working at Redwood Empire Sawmill when equipment jammed and he lost his life
The Sonoma County coroner's office has identified the Redwood Empire Sawmill worker in Cloverdale who died Wednesday when he became entangled in machinery as Raul Samano Lule, 43, of Ukiah.
According to the Press Democrat, Lule was trying to clear a jam in an automated tree debarking machine when he "became entangled in some equipment and was killed, authorities said."
The Cloverdale Fire Protection District responded to the fatal incident at the Redwood Empire Sawmill on McCray Road around 1 p.m. Wednesday, Battalion Chief Rick Blackmon said.
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Lule was pronounced dead at the scene. He was found near a conveyor belt in the main sawmill of the facility, Blackmon said.
The Press Democrat also reports that Lule, the father of two, is the second worker to die at the mill in the past 4½ years, according to Cal-OSHA.
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The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating the workplace death.
Another man died Sept. 15, 2008, also after becoming caught up in machinery, according to Cal-OSHA records.
Bay City News contributed to this report
