always use a spotter:

[irish2003]

"HS football player dies in weight accident" by Latest News -- GazetteXtra

SLINGER, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin high school football player has died in an accident while lifting weights at home.
Slinger police say 16-year-old Jake Pezon was home alone in his basement rec room Wednesday night and was bench pressing 185 pounds when the weights dropped on him.
Police Lt. Joel Schodron says Pezon's mother arrived home shortly after midnight Thursday and found her son unresponsive. Schodron says the teen was dead by the time first responders arrived.
Pezon was a junior at Slinger High School and played wide receiver and defensive back for the Owls. School District administrator Bob Reynolds says counselors are available Friday at the high school.
An autopsy is scheduled Friday.

 

[NAIR]

What an idiot.

I think this is just one of those rare stupid kid things...

 

[irish2003]

he should have left the collars off (without knowing how hurt he got when it dropped) he could have dump the weight

 

[NAIR]

i've precisley that myelf... and it paid off!

 

[Ox 51]

It doesn't say what happened though. It only says he was benching 185 when the weights fell. Some of those cheap little home benches probably don't even support 185 pounds. And you know the form these damn kids use to try to lift more than they are really capable of.