Investigation into DEP Worker's Death at Brooklyn Plant

Yesterday afternoon, a Department of Environmental Protection employee was killed on the job at Brooklyn's Owls Head Waste Water Treatment plant. Gennaro Montello, 45, was crushed to death as he and other workers were moving a temporary conveyor belt—apparently the belt's steel supports fell off. The DEP and the state Labor Department are investigating the incident; according to the NY Times, the belt, which removed grit (sand, coffee grinds, etc.) from waste water, was a "34-foot-long and 3-foot-wide mobile device weighing several thousand pounds." Another worker was injured while trying to save Montello.Mayor Bloomberg said, "We typically only think of uniformed officers putting themselves on the line to serve the public. Today's accident is a tragic reminder of how many others serve our city in challenging environments and how our city could not run without them." Montello's neighbor spoke to NY1, "Very nice family. There's nothing I can say other than that. And what can I say? I feel so bad...It hurts me very much."