OSHA cites Lunda in fatal crane collapse

DE PERE (AP) -- The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Black River Falls construction company in a fatal crane collapse near De Pere.

OSHA issued three serious safety violations against Lunda Construction Co. in the accident at a construction site on Highway 41. 58-year-old Raymond Ashenbrenner was killed April 20 when he was struck by a section of the crane he was assembling.

OSHA is proposing a maximum $21,000 in fines. Inspectors say Lunda failed to train workers on safe crane assembly and provide supervision.

Lunda's corporate counsel, Joshua Swanson, declined to comment when contacted Thursday.

It was the second fatal crane accident involving Lunda this year. A Lunda worker was operating a crane July 5 on a bridge in Oshkosh when a girder collapsed and killed a Green Bay man.