Man dies after being run over by forklift in Christchurch

Photo / File / Thinkstock

A worker run over and killed by a forklift in an early morning industrial accident in Christchurch today has been named.

Anthony Stephen Wells, 47, was working at Busck Prestressed Concrete Ltd at Annex Rd when the accident happened about 5.40am.

Police and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment are both investigating what led to the Christchurch man's death.

The driver of the forklift vehicle, known as a Merlo, alerted emergency services to the accident on Annex Rd, Detective Sergeant Chris Power said.

"They were getting ready for the day and removing a vehicle from a shed and the idea was to park it in the rear yard," he said.

"Unfortunately, it was an area the deceased had walked in to and wasn't visible."

The driver and other colleagues immediately called an ambulance and gave first aid but Mr Wells was pronounced dead at the scene by an attending paramedic.

A police scene examination at the site was completed this afternoon.

The death has been referred to the coroner and a post-mortem examination is expected to be done tomorrow.

Workers at the factory were today still in shock over what had happened.

"It's too early to make comment," said one colleague.