A 57-year-old man has died following a workplace accident at an industrial warehouse in Vallirana, Barcelona, on Thursday afternoon. A falling pallet fatally injured the worker, trapping him, according to a statement from the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan police force.

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Emergency services responded to the scene after receiving an alert at approximately 1:40 PM. The incident occurred in Vallirana, a municipality located in the Baix Llobregat comarca just southwest of Barcelona city.

Emergency Response at the Scene

Two medical units from the Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM), Catalonia’s medical emergency service, arrived at the warehouse but were unable to save the man’s life. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.

In addition to the medical teams, a unit from the Bombers de la Generalitat, the regional fire service, also attended the incident. Several patrols from the Mossos d’Esquadra’s Public Safety and Investigation units, including officers from the nearby Sant Vicenç dels Horts station, secured the area and began their initial inquiries into the circumstances of the accident.

Investigation Underway

The Mossos d’Esquadra are now leading the investigation to determine the cause of the fatal incident. As is standard procedure in cases of fatal workplace accidents, police officially notified the duty investigating court in Sant Feliu de Llobregat, the judicial capital of the comarca.

Authorities also reported the case to the Departament d’Empresa i Treball (Department of Business and Labour) of the Generalitat de Catalunya. This department is responsible for overseeing workplace safety regulations and will conduct its own parallel investigation into potential health and safety breaches. Local media, including La Vanguardia, first reported details of the incident.

A Troubling Trend in Workplace Safety

This tragedy occurs against a backdrop of growing concern over workplace safety in Catalonia. Recent statistics highlight a worrying increase in fatal accidents. According to a report by EL PAÍS, Catalonia registered 85 deaths from workplace accidents in 2025, a significant 27% rise from the previous year and the highest figure recorded since 2009.

Another analysis from Cadena SER starkly noted that, on average, a person dies at work in the region every four days. These figures have prompted calls from unions and safety advocates for stricter enforcement of safety protocols and greater investment in preventative measures to protect workers across all sectors.

According to the official source, see Mor un home de 57 anys després de quedar atrapat sota un palet mentre treballava en una nau industrial de Vallirana – Agència Catalana de Notícies (ACN).