Breaking News: D.H. Griffin Cited After Fatal Train Collision in Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina — March 10, 2025 — According to Fox 8, the North Carolina Department of Labor has cited a Greensboro-based company following a tragic accident last year in which an employee was struck and killed by a train while operating heavy machinery.

D.H. Griffin Wrecking Company was issued citations after a labor department inspection that began on September 4, 2024. The investigation resulted in a serious violation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina, leading to a proposed penalty of $16,131.

According to the citation, the company failed to provide a safe working environment, exposing employees to hazardous conditions. The report states that workers operated a JLG 460SJ Telescopic Boom Lift over an active railroad crossing without established safety procedures or controls to prevent collisions. On the day of the incident, 51-year-old Margarito Alfonso-Cruz was using the lift near the Hilltop Road crossing when an Amtrak train struck the equipment, resulting in fatal injuries. Reports indicate that Alfonso-Cruz attempted to reverse as the crossing arms descended but could not clear the tracks in time.

Following the incident, authorities recommended that the company transport the lift using a trailer or rollback truck rather than driving it across railroad tracks. The Department of Labor emphasized that penalties are not meant to compensate for the loss of life, as state law requires collected fines to be allocated to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund, which supports public schools.

D.H. Griffin has 15 business days to contest the citation, request a conference with labor officials, or pay the fine.

Our thoughts are with the friends, family, and loved ones of Mr. Alfonso-Cruz.

The Ramsay Law Firm has attorneys who are Board Certified in Workers’ Compensation claims to help individuals with severe injuries and death claims.

A Voice For The Injured. Here Every Step of The Way. Call 704-376-1616 or contact us online.

Notes: Our team created this post using secondary sources and has not independently verified all the facts surrounding the accident. If you find any incorrect details, please contact the Ramsay Law Firm so we can update the post with the most accurate information. This post will be removed if requested.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice and is not a solicitation for business. The photograph used in this post is not representative of this accident. If you are injured in an accident, seek medical attention immediately, then speak to a North Carolina personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.