The Most Dangerous Job in America Claims the Life of a 29-Year-Old Kentucky Amish Man
Logging workers have the highest fatality rate of any civilian job in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The profession sees 110.4 fatalities per 100,000 workers – a rate more than double that of roofing (the third-deadliest occupation) and over 33 times higher than the national average for all workers.
Amish in many communities are involved in the lumber industry – both in logging, and in operating sawmills. And sadly, news has come that another Amish logger has lost his life, this time in an incident in Crittenden County, Kentucky. The report from WPSD:
MATTOON, Ky. — First Responders were called to the scene of a logging accident which resulted in a death near Mattoon close to a sawmill off KY 654, according to the Crittenden Press.
29-year-old Eli Bontrager, an Amish man, was killed Saturday morning during a tree cutting incident in Mattoon.
The Crittenden Press said that Bontrager was pronounced dead at the scene by the Crittenden County Assistant Coroner Keith Gilbert.
The Crittenden Press reported that responders were called to the scene at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28. Early reports indicated that Bontrager was seriously injured, which later resulted in the man’s death.
The Crittenden Press adds this detail:
Eli Bontrager was reportedly alone cutting down a tree when the incident occurred.
Logging is a tough job, even leaving beside the risk of injury or death. Logging alone exacerbates the danger, not least because there is no one to provide assistance in the event of an accident.
And this isn’t the only recent Amish death in a logging accident. In January an Amish man from the Geauga County, Ohio community died in a logging accident when a tree fell on him.
I’m also sadly reminded by this tragedy of the passing of Amish Cook columnist Gloria Yoder’s husband Daniel in 2022, also in a logging accident.
Prayers and condolences to Eli Bontrager’s family. Crittenden County is home to an Amish community of around 500 people, who will no doubt come together to support the Bontragers at this time.
Close calls
Everyone that has logged has stories of near misses. Those that don’t have endured a direct hit.