PITTSBURGH -- A young mother died Friday after being hit by a pole that fell when an 18-wheeler struck it at an East Liberty bus stop -- just across the street from her daughter's Head Start program.
Slideshow: Photos From The SceneLate Friday afternoon, some children and a woman taped balloons and flowers to a tree near the spot where 28-year-old Marquetta Grate was struck after dropping her 3-year-old daughter at the Kingsley Association's community center in the morning.
Grate was waiting for a Port Authority bus at Frankstown and Paulson avenues when a furniture-moving truck hit the metal light pole and knocked it over, witnesses told WTAE Channel 4's Janelle Hall.
"It didn't look like she was breathing. She was breathing really shallow," said Bagumba Lowery, a Kingsley security guard. "She had injuries on her head and on the back of her head and top of her head and her side. It didn't look good."
Grate was rushed into surgery at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Three children who were also at the bus stop escaped injury when the pole fell.
"It was really bad. It was kind of upsetting hearing that, and seeing how the pole had come down and hit her in the back of the head and knocked her to the grass. They were working on her diligently," said Lowery.
Pittsburgh police are investigating. No charges have been filed.
Malik Bankstown, executive director of the Kingsley Association, said there used to be a bus shelter at the stop where Grate suffered her injuries.
"I don't know why the shelter was removed, but it is still a stop. The sign is still there and I have seen people still catching the bus there, but the shelter was removed about two weeks ago," Bankstown said.
Guy Costa, director of the city's public works department, said Lamar Advertising owned the bus shelter and removed it because of problems with vandalism.
In Costa's view, the shelter wasn't sturdy enough to have shielded Grate from the falling pole.
"After being at the scene this morning, the shelter wouldn't have made a difference because the pole would have shattered the glass or plexiglass," Costa said.
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