WICHITA Kan. (Reuters) - A nationally-ranked Kansas boxer with Olympic aspirations was killed when a six-ton steel tank he was sandblasting fell on him, police said on Wednesday.

Tony Losey, 22, who had been ranked third in USA Boxing’s 152-pound (69-kg) weight class, died at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, said Wichita Police Lieutenant James Espinoza.

Espinoza said the steel tank, which was 12 to 14-feet-high (3.6-4.3 meters), had been sitting on some support racks when the tank shifted and fell on Losey. The accident happened at Boardman, a steel plate fabricator.

“We’ve had some industrial accidents before but this is definitely one that’s very uncommon and something that is tragic,” Espinoza said.

USA Boxing is the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing in the United States, according to its website.

Lewis Hernandez, owner of Wichita’s Northside Boxing Club and Losey’s trainer, said Losey had hoped to compete in the Olympics.

“He was like a son to me,” said Hernandez, who had been Losey’s trainer since 2005. “He was a real strong-hearted kid.”

“We would constantly work out together,” said Nico Hernandez, 18, Lewis Hernandez’s son. Nico Hernandez described Losey as his best friend.

“We were both going to go to the U.S. Nationals in Spokane in January,” Hernandez said. “Our dream has always been to go to the Olympics... It will be hard without Tony.”

Boardman officials could not immediately be reached for comment.