One person has been killed and another injured in an accident at a lime plant in Virginia, according to officials.
Officers from the Sheriff’s Office, as well as Pembroke Fire Department, Giles Rescue Squad, Carilion EMS, Newport Rescue Squad, and Celco Emergency Response Team were dispatched to the scene after receiving a 911 call at approximately 3:58 p.m.
Upon arriving at the plant, officials were made aware that an excavator had been engulfed by materials inside of the mine, trapping an employee inside of the cab of the equipment.
A second worker had also sustained minor lime chemical burns after attempting to rescue the other employee who had become trapped. First responders treated the second worker at the scene and he was later released, police said.
“First responders entered the mine and assisted mine workers with extricating the equipment operator out of the cab of the equipment which had been knocked on its side and engulfed by the materials inside the mine,” police said in a statement.
However, the other employee who had become trapped did not survive.
“The equipment operator was found to be deceased at that time, personnel safely extricated the individual from the mine without further incident,” officials said.
Both were employed by Gillmann Services, Inc., which provides contracting services at the facility. The victims were not identified.
Police said all other workers at the mine were safe and accounted for following the incident. No other injuries were reported.
First responders cleared the scene at 6:44 p.m. and the mine was promptly shut down. It will remain closed pending further police investigation.
According to its website, the Belgium-headquartered Lhoist Group is a “global leader in lime, dolime, and minerals” and has a presence in 25 countries with more than 100 facilities around the world.
The Epoch Times has contacted Lhoist Group for comment.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock most often mined from a quarry. It forms the basic building blocks of the construction industry and is the base material from which cement and building stone are made.
