Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report 

Video Credit: AsiaWire

This is the tragic moment a forklift overturns and crushes its driver to death apparently in front of his young son at a fruit and vegetable market.

The heartbreaking accident happened in the township of Ji’an in Taiwan’s eastern county of Hualien on 4th December.

Victim Mr Yao, 43, was offloading a shipment of onions at the market, with his seven-year-old son accompanying him at the time.

Witnesses said the boy and his dad had spent about an hour moving crates of onions together using the vehicle before the parent told his son to get off so he could load the forklift onto a lorry.

Grainy footage from the fruit and vegetable market shows Mr Yao driving the forklift back up a set of ramps when the ramp collapses and the vehicle suddenly tips and falls onto its left side.

The authorities said this happened after the left ramp, which had not been properly secured, comes loose due to the vehicle’s weight.

In the video, Mr Yao’s distressed son can be seen circling the forklift as staff at the market check on the parent, who was trapped underneath.

Ji’an police said paramedics found Mr Yao without vital signs despite having no obvious external injuries.

He was declared dead shortly after, with further tests expected to confirm a fatal chest injury as his cause of death.

Investigations are ongoing.

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