Suburban steel worker crushed to death

A suburban steel worker operating a crane that bundled and loaded steel was crushed to death when a cable snapped, sending heavy equipment to fall 25 feet on the man.

Authorities said Tuesday that 32-year-old Heladio Ramirez of Calumet City died Monday at Highway Steel in Chicago Heights. They say Ramirez was operating the crane when the cable snapped and the equipment fell on him, striking his head, hip and leg. He died at a nearby hospital.

Officials say federal job safety authorities were to investigate the incident. Ramirez had worked at the company since early 2007. He had a wife and two children.