PICTURED: Hospital worker, 51, killed by runaway steel cylinder that rolled out of construction site and down hill where she was walking
The hospital worker tragically killed Friday morning by a runaway steel cylinder in Pennsylvania has been identified.
Aleia Lopez, 51, died after walking outside the Petersen Events Center South Oakland, Pittsburgh, when she was struck in the head by the heavy object.
The mother-of-three suffered serious head injuries and lay in the street as bystanders tried to save her life. Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her mother, Melanie Hall, said, “Aleia was a light in the lives of all who knew her and the rock for her three children Angelia, Leilani and Ethan.”
Aleia Lopez, 51, died after walking outside the Petersen Events Center South Oakland, Pittsburgh Friday morning when she was struck by a heavy steel cylinder
The mother-of-three suffered serious head injuries and lay in the street as bystanders tried to save her life
The scene of the accident occurred within a two-minute walk of her work, where she worked as the executive assistant to the president of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital.
Pittsburgh Public Safety Public Information Officer Emily Bourne said the heavy cylinder somehow came loose, broke through a fence and rolled down the hill from the construction site before hitting Lopez on the sidewalk.
“It’s clear there’s a construction site here, a large metal steel drum that escaped from the construction site, rolled down the hill and broke through a piece of fencing,” she said.
“And the woman was on the sidewalk down the street when she was hit by the piece of metal from the runway.”
One of the bystanders attempted to give Lopez CPR, but she was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived on the scene.
The construction was part of a $240 million project for the University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
The accident scene was within a two-minute walk of her work, where she worked as the executive assistant to the president of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital.
One of the bystanders attempted to resuscitate Lopez, but she was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived on the scene.
The construction was part of a $240 million project for the University of Pittsburgh called the Victory Heights Initiative. It’s expected to be a 240,000-square-foot space for “state-of-the-art athletics projects”
The project, called Victory Heights Initiative, is expected to occupy a 240,000-square-foot space adjacent to the Petersen Events Center.
According to the Pitt alumni website, the initiative aims to build “a series of state-of-the-art athletics projects” for student athletes.
The new facilities include a 3,500-seat arena for wrestling, gymnastics and volleyball, an eight-lane indoor track and a “state-of-the-art athletic performance center.”
It is unclear what purpose the steel cylinder served in the project. DailyMail.com contacted the University of Pittsburgh for more information.
Jared Stonesifer, senior director of external communications at the University of Pittsburgh, said Friday that the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating the incident.
Lopez also served as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, according to her LinkedIn page.
She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in social work.
a GoFundMe page was created by her mother to raise money to support her children and cover her funeral costs.
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $84,000 had been raised, exceeding the original goal of $50,000.
She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in social work. Lopez also served as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital
Her mother has created a GoFundMe page to raise money to support her children and cover her funeral costs. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $84,000 had been raised
In a 2018 Facebook post, Lopez posted a photo of her daughter posing in front of a Penn State sign.
“First baby’s first semester in college. Very happy for her #ANGELEIA,” Lopez captioned the post.
Netta Thomas-Bell, a friend of Lopez, shared photos with her in a heartfelt post.
Thomas-Bell said: ‘This can’t be life… I’ve been trying all night to forget it, but it’s not a dream. Why did something so tragic happen to such a good person?’
“As adults we went our separate ways, but she pulled through [sic] whenever he was invited and always kept in touch.”
Her sister Ashley Symone Parker also posted a beautiful tribute in honor of Lopez.
‘The most caring, thoughtful, loving and hilarious sister a girl could ask for, and an amazing, hard-working mother. My heart is truly broken,” Parker said.
“I love you forever dear sister. Until we meet again.’
The University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry posted a link to the GoFundMe page and said, “A few days ago we lost Aleia Lopez, a beloved member of our UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital community.”