« Eddy will be missed enormously »: Having worker (50) is killed in the event of a terminal (inland)
Eddy Roefs (50), an experienced Foreman in the port of Antwerp, died on Tuesday in an industrial accident. He was hit by a tractor with trailer on the PSA breakbulk terminal. The man leaves a woman and three children.
Today at 7:16 PM
The accident happened on Tuesday evening, on the front quay of the PSA Breakbulk Terminal in the port of Antwerp. The 50-year-old Eddy Roefs was working with a few colleagues on the terminal.
« Around 8 pm the victim was hit in a bend by a tractor with a trailer, » confirms Danaïs Fol of Labor Auditorate in Antwerp. Eddy was seriously injured. The emergency services still rushed on the spot, but help no longer could benefit. The man from Merksem died of his injuries on the spot.
Eddy Roefs had been active in the port for more than twenty years. He worked as a team boss at the Breakbulk terminal at PSA. « Our thoughts go out to the friends, family, acquaintances and colleagues of the victim. Out of respect for them, we do not comment any further, » says Kim Vandenbroucke, spokesperson for PSA.
Family man
Eddy leaves a woman and three children. « Everyone is of course huge in shock, » says Sarah Vlachos, Eddy’s sister -in -law. She speaks in the name of the family. « Eddy will be missed enormously. He was a loving family man and was ready for everyone. A fantastic handy Harry that you could always count on, » says Sarah.
Eddy leaves a woman, Jessica, and three children. – © RR
Eddy was not only bitten by his job, his family states that in recent years he was increasingly enjoying the good life. « He often went on vacation with his wife Jessica. For example, they liked to go out together to cycle, » says Sarah. « It’s a drama that she now has to continue without Eddy. »
Minute of silence
It is not yet clear how exactly the accident could happen. « The family also gets systematically information. As far as we know, it was a unfortunate accident that both Eddy and the driver were not to blame, » says Sarah. The driver of the vehicle was affected and will be interrogated at a later time.
« Furthermore, there were no other witnesses of the accident, » says Fol. The Supervision of Welfare Department at work came to the scene to map the circumstances of the accident. « The investigation is in full swing and will be conducted by the labor auditorate. »
The PSA Breakbulk management team has decided to suspend all activities until Thursday morning. « We now mainly want to support colleagues as much as possible. Both in Europe Terminal, Noordzee Terminal, MPET, PSA Breakbulk and PSA Zeebrugge will be a minute of silence on Wednesday and/or Thursday. We are one family and want to offer all colleagues the opportunity to express their condolences. »
The PSA breakbulk terminal. – © PSA
