A quiet Friday morning in Fulton County turned tragic after a deadly workplace accident claimed the life of a contractor at an industrial site near McConnellsburg.
Authorities said the incident happened at the JLG Industries property along Success Drive in Ayr Township, inside the Fulton County Business Park. Officials quickly pointed out that the scene was not connected to the company’s main manufacturing plant but rather a separate facility nearby.
The victim was later identified as 49-year-old Michael Mills of Newburg. According to Fulton County Coroner Berley Souders, emergency crews responded to the scene Friday morning, where Mills was pronounced dead at 10:40 a.m.
Investigators said Mills was working at the facility through a third-party maintenance contractor at the time of the incident. Another worker was also injured during the accident and rushed to a nearby hospital. Authorities said those injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening.
What exactly happened inside the facility has not yet been publicly released, but the response quickly grew into a major emergency operation. Firefighters and rescue crews spent hours working through what officials described as a difficult and extended rescue effort.
The McConnellsburg Fire Company received support from the Fannett Metal Fire Company, while specially trained confined space rescue teams were also brought in to help crews at the scene. The heavy response gave an early sign that workers inside the facility were dealing with a dangerous situation.
JLG Industries later released a statement expressing sympathy for everyone affected by the tragedy. The company said its thoughts remain with the victims, their families, and all workers impacted by the incident. Company officials also confirmed they are fully cooperating with investigators from OSHA along with local, state, and federal agencies.
Authorities said an autopsy for Mills is scheduled to take place Saturday as investigators continue trying to determine the exact cause of death. For now, many in the small Fulton County community are left mourning a worker who never made it home after reporting for another ordinary day on the job.
