March 17, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2009-16) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION R. Steve Huffman Public Information Officer (251) 208-2857/Fax: (251) 208-2861 E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT CLAIMS LIFE Mobile Fire-Rescue Units, including the department’s Technical Rescue Team, responded to an industrial accident with the report of one trapped in a pile of coal today, Tuesday, March 17 at McDuffie Coal Terminal on the Mobile River. The call was received at approximately 10:17 a.m. When firefighters arrived they were informed that the male victim, 53, had been buried underneath the large pile of coal approximately 100 feet down in a storage/catch area where he had been working, but co-workers had him uncovered at the time. Firefighters immediately went down, discovered the victim was in cardiac arrest and initiated C.P.R. and other advanced medical care. Firefighters with the assistance of terminal employees brought the victim up top side and loaded him in a Mobile Fire-Rescue unit and transported him to Mobile Infirmary Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. According to eye witnesses the man slipped or lost his footing in the pile of coal he was working around and fell head first in the pile while a rail car above was dumping its load of coal thus covering him up and most likely suffocating him. Engines 2, 3, 8, truck 17, technical rescue 25, squad 26, rescues 3 and 14, District Chief John Young, Deputy Chiefs Richard Brannon and Randy Smith responded. ###