Industrial accident victim recently finished restoring a Deere tractor

A New Jersey man who died in a tragic industrial accident earlier this week had recently completed a 10-year project with his dad: restoring a 1941 John Deere tractor.
A New Jersey man who died in a tragic industrial accident earlier this week had recently completed a 10-year project with his dad: restoring a 1941 John Deere tractor.
A Central New Jersey man who died in a tragic industrial accident earlier this week had recently completed a 10-year project his father said he thoroughly enjoyed: working together to restore a 1941 John Deere tractor.

Formerly a volunteer firefighter and the driver of a wrecker service, Thomas Serinese of North Brunswick died on the job while removing snow from a tilt-back carrier that transports cars, according to a published report. A colleague lowered the carrier's bed and pinned him.

"He loved working on that thing," father Mario Serinese told mycentraljersey.com on Thursday. "He and I started the tractor together. We started it 10 years ago. It's a small one. And we finally just now got it done."

"He was a good lad. He could not stop himself from working," said his father, also a long-time volunteer for the North Brunswick fire department, which paid tribute to its lost colleague.

The fire department posted a statement on its website, reading: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom's family during this difficult time. Rest In Peace Tom, you will be missed."