None of that necessarily insulates anybody from danger. Or death.
Branscum, 63, was killed last week at the sand-and-gravel business where he had worked for four decades.
The Fulton County resident died March 5 while he was operating an excavator at Otter Creek Sand & Gravel, located between Illinois Route 100 and the Illinois River southwest of Havana.
According to Fulton County Coroner Steve Hines, Branscum was in the cab of the excavator, which was atop a levee around a lake on the Otter Creek property. The ground beneath the excavator collapsed and caused it to roll into the water.
Branscum, who at the time was alone, was unable to free himself from the cab, Hines said.
Astoria man dies while ice fishing
Canton Daily Ledger
ASTORIA Feb. 10 the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a missing person in rural Astoria. Henry J. Umphryes, 62, Vermont, was reported missing by friends who had located his vehicle at a property west of Astoria. Fishing items were located on the ice of a nearby pond on the property. The friends had last heard from Umphryes Feb. 1. Farmers of the property and friends of Umphryes worked to remove ice from the pond. Thanks to their efforts, the Mason County ESDA Dive team was able to put in a boat with sonar on the pond Feb. 12.
Canton house fire kills 9-year-old girl
CANTON A 9-year-old girl was killed Sunday in a house fire in Canton, according to authorities.
Adeline V. Walton died as a result of the fire that began about 5 a.m. in her residence at 726 E. Chestnut St.
When Canton Fire Department personnel arrived, they found thick smoke and a large amount of flames. They also were told one person was inside the house, on the second floor.
The victim was found and brought outside, where CPR was performed. The victim then was transported to Graham Hospital, where at 6:21 a.m. she was pronounced dead.