Crime & Safety

Vernon Man Dies in Well Accident in Hampden, MA

Martin Petersen, of Vernon, was working as an employee of Stavens Bros. Inc. when he fell into a well he was helping to dig on private property on the Somers town line.

Martin Petersen, 61, of Vernon, died Wednesday afternon after falling into a well on the Somers/Hampden, MA, town line, according to police.

Hampden, MA, police, who are now handling the investigation, said that Petersen was pronounced dead at the scene by Connecticut officials, prior to Massachusetts officials arriving.

Petersen was working as an employee of Stavens Bros., Inc. of Willington, and was helping to drill the well at the time of the incident, according to police.

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Officers from the Hampden Police Department responded to a call at 5:48 p.m. from the Connecticut State Police for assistance at 215 Hampden Rd. in Somers. Connecticut State Police and a number of Connecticut area fire departments had been called to the address at approximately 1:30 p.m. for a worker who had fallen into a well.

Connecticut officials worked on Petersen’s recovery and subsequently determined that the incident had occurred approximately 50 feet over the Connecticut line into Hampden, MA.

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The spokesman said that the Connecticut State Police turned over the investigation and their findings to the Hampden Police Department. The Massachusetts State Police CPAC (the state police department assigned to the district attorney’s office) unit responded to review the incident, along with Hampden police. 

The investigation is currently being conducted by the Hampden Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents.


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