Worker dies in I-79 accident
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FAIRMONT – It wasn’t immediately known if the Tuesday morning mishap on Interstate 79 that killed one roadworker and injured two others was a result of a traffic accident or equipment failure.
The incident sent the three spilling from a bridge crossing White Day Creek Road near the Marion-Monongalia County line.
However, later in the day, the West Virginia State Police said in a press release that a heavy crane malfunction was the cause of the accident. The crane malfunction apparently resulted in concrete barriers knocking the workers off the bridge.
Multiple work is being done on bridges and lanes on that stretch of roadway.
The State Police reported that Mickey W. Swisher, 30, of Morgantown, died at the scene. The other two workers were transported for medical treatment.
Several agencies from both counties quickly responded to the scene of the accident, which was reported shortly before 10 a.m., said Jim Smith, who directs MECCA 911, Mon’s emergency dispatch network.
Smith confirmed the two workers, including the one who was pronounced dead at the scene, had both fallen from the bridge.
A third, who was also injured, was found clinging to the structure, the MECCA director said, citing the original 911 call.
There were no details available on the conditions of those injured.
Tuesday’s fatal accident, meanwhile, followed another one this past Friday on I-79 near Elkview, in Kanawha County.
A man died after his vehicle hit a dump truck parked in a construction zone, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department said.
Both accidents serve as a literal cautionary tale for Smith, he said.
“That’s the thing,” he said.
“You just have to show caution when you’re driving through any work zone,” he continued.
“Fifty-five means 55. You need to stay alert, because anything could happen.”