Family of man crushed by steel beams seeking answers

Nearly month after fatal accident, family speaks publicly for first time

MIAMI – Family members of a 71-year-old truck driver crushed to death by steel beams are demanding answers from investigators nearly a month after the accident.

Sylvester Roulhac was ensuring a load of steel beams were secure on the back of his truck in the early morning hours of Sept. 16. According to authorities, a stack of nearby 40-foot-long, 1,000-pound steel beams became unsecured and crushed him.

Roulhac was alone at the time of the incident, which took place at Kloeckner Metal at 1621 NW 12th Ave. in Pompano Beach.

"He was just a good person and he didn't deserve to -- sorry -- he didn't deserve that," daughter Jennifer Simplice said, fighting back tears.

According to Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokeswoman Sandra King after the accident, the effort to recover Roulhac's body took hours as Broward Sherrif's Office tactical rescue team removed one beam at a time. His body was immediately sent to the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office to undergo an autopsy. 

Sylvester Roulhac was crushed to death by steel beams while working at Kloeckner Metal in Pompano Beach.

BSO detectives and officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were said to be investigating the accident.

The family has hired an attorney, who will be requesting video footage from the site where Roulhac died.

"Our experience is that these types of things are preventable," attorney Judd G. Rosen said.

Anyone with information on the accident are encouraged to come forward.


About the Author:

Alex Finnie joined the Local 10 News team in May 2018. South Florida is home! She was raised in Miami and attended the Cushman School and New World School of the Arts for high school.