Contractor fatally electrocuted at Homan Square water pumping station identified, authorities say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A contractor who died Thursday while working at a city pumping station on Chicago's West Side has been identified, officials said.

The 63-year-old man was working around 9 a.m. in the 3500 block of West Fillmore Street when he suffered an injury, Chicago police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

He was identified as Byron Connor on Friday by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. His cause of death was electrocution due to a high-voltage transformer accident.

Connor was working at a city pumping station in Homan Square near Central Park Avenue, according to Chicago Fire Department officials.

No one else was injured, authorities said.

Chicago police continue to conduct a death investigation. The U.S. Department of Labor is also investigating the death.

OHSA spokesperson Scott Allen issued a statement about the the death on Friday:

"OSHA has opened an investigation with three companies related to the workplace fatality that took place at the Central Park Pumping Station (3500 block of W. Fillmore Ave) at about 11 a.m. on April 4.
"Elgin-based contractor IHC construction
"Innomotics, Inc., A Siemens Business (recent acquisition)
"Aldridge Electric

"Preliminary information is that the worker made contact with a VFD (variable frequency drive) and was electrocuted. No further information will be available until OSHA completes their investigation, which by law, they have 6 months to complete."

The Chicago Water Department also issued a statement about the death on Thursday:

"The Department of Water Management regards the safety of our employees and contractors as our highest priority. All appropriate protocols and regulations will be followed in investigating the occurrence at the Central Park Pumping Station today. We have deployed a DWM safety investigator to do a preliminary examination of the situation."

No further information was immediately available.