TEMPE, Ariz. — A forklift operator died Thursday morning at a job site in Tempe, police said.
The accident occurred shortly before 5 a.m. in the 1700 block of South Kachina Drive and involved a work site for United Southwest Components.
Tempe police said the forklift operator, identified as a woman in her 20s, was operating the machinery "in compliance with all safety measures" and that her death was the result of a "tragic accident."
United Southwest Components said they're working with investigators to determine the cause of Thursday's incident.
"We are working closely with the authorities to investigate to help determine what occurred. We send our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and coworkers," the company wrote in a statement.
The woman's identity had not been disclosed.
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How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
