Modesto man killed when forklift tips forward at warehouse, officials say
A Modesto man died Thursday after a forklift tipped forward while moving a massive paper roll at a warehouse in south Modesto, authorities said.
The Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office identified the worker Friday as Anthony Alvarez, 38, of Modesto.
Firefighters from Modesto and Stanislaus Consolidated fire departments responded shortly after 4:30 p.m. Thursday to an industrial warehouse in the 600 block of Mariposa Road after reports of a workplace accident involving a forklift operator, according to the Modesto Fire Department.
Preliminary findings indicate Alvarez was operating a forklift while moving a large paper roll measuring about 3 feet by 6 feet and weighing an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 pounds, MFD spokesperson Joe Spani said.
Spani said the load shifted while it was being moved, causing the forklift to tip forward.
“The person was still inside the forklift,” Spani said. Alvarez was pronounced dead at the scene after firefighters arrived, he said.
Crews from the departments’ Technical Rescue Team were called to the warehouse to help extricate Alvarez from the forklift. In total, 16 personnel responded to the scene, including ladder truck crews, Engine 11 and Medic 1, Spani said.
To safely stabilize the machinery and avoid causing additional hazards at the scene, Spani said firefighters used a slower, technical rescue process after Alvarez was declared dead.
The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, commonly known as Cal/OSHA, also responded to investigate.
Deputies determined the incident was a workplace accident and not a criminal matter, sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Michael Carranza said.
Cal/OSHA confirmed Friday that it has opened an inspection related to the fatal incident.
“While the inspection remains ongoing, no additional details are available at this time,” Cal/OSHA spokesperson Denisse Gómez said in an email to The Bee.
The agency said it has up to six months to issue citations if investigators identify workplace safety violations.
This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 5:30 PM.
