© 2024 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Report: Nearly Half Of Florida Power Plant Deaths Happened At TECO Plant

Over the last two decades, more workers have died at  power plants than at those run by any other Florida utility.

The Tampa Bay Times reports no other utility had more than three deaths, including much larger companies like and  Duke Energy. Tampa Electric had nine.

That includes the three workers who died after an accident last week at the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach.

A fourth man died Saturday afternoon at Tampa General Hospital, the Times reported. Frank Lee Jones, 55, died Saturday afternoon.

Senior plant operator Michael McCort, 60, and contract worker Christopher Irvin, 40, died at the scene. Contract worker Antonio "Marro" Navarrete, 21, died Wednesday.

Two others remained in the hospital late Saturday: Jones' stepson, Gary Marine, Jr., 32, and Armando J. Perez, 56.

Tampa Electric says its internal statistics show a steady decrease in incidents over the past 20 years and that it takes the safety of its team members and contractors “very seriously.”

Copyright 2017 Health News Florida

You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.