Scrapyard explosion kills worker during his third day on job, Mississippi police say
A worker was killed in an explosion during his third day on the job at a Mississippi recycling center, officials say.
James Keyes, 35, and a co-worker has been removing rubber from tire rims in the scrapyard at Jarrell Recycling on Wednesday morning. They were taking a 15-minute break when the blast went off about 30 yards from where they were sitting, Sgt. J.D. Carter with the Jones County Sheriff’s Office told McClatchy News.
A 911 call about the explosion came in at about 8:50 a.m., Carter said. By the time deputies arrived at the scrapyard, paramedics on the scene had pronounced Keyes dead.
Officials believe he had been hit by shrapnel, which led to his death, Carter said.
The other worker was thrown several yards from where he was sitting but was not seriously injured, Carter said.
Carter said the sheriff’s office, the Mississippi fire marshal’s office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and officials with the Department of Homeland Security are investigating the explosion.
He said officials don’t yet know what caused the blast but that they do not believe it was intentional.
The owner of the recycling business, Shannon Jarrell, told local outlet WDAM that her thoughts and prayers go out to Keyes’ family.
Jones County is in southeastern Mississippi, about 93 miles from Jackson.
