On Friday, May 3, a woman was killed by a steel cylinder, as it came crashing down from a worksite.
Aleia Lopez, 51, was walking down the North side of the University of Pittsburgh at 10:40 a.m., when a metal cylinder came rolling down the hill, directly at her. Lopez was walking with two other co-workers when she was hit. It was reported that the cylinder, weighing thousands of pounds, crashed through a fence, hit Lopez, and then a neighboring truck.
When E.M.S. arrived, Lopez was pronounced dead due to her severe head injuries. Police say that the cylinder was either knocked over or came loose from a piece of heavy equipment. Lopez was the only reported injury. The situation is being investigated to determine if the construction workers are at fault for not securely strapping down the cylinder.
It is unknown if the family of Aleia Lopez will press charges.
