A contractor died Sunday afternoon while working at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in St. Paul Park, Minnesota, prompting an investigation by local authorities.
Police were called to the refinery at about 4:15 p.m. after receiving a report that a contractor had been injured at the facility. Emergency crews responded, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have not released the contractor’s name. His identity is being withheld while the investigation continues.
Marathon Petroleum said the contractor lost consciousness while working on a refinery unit. The company expressed condolences to the man’s family, friends and coworkers and said an investigation will be carried out to determine what led to the incident.
The refinery has safety procedures in place for employees and contractors working on-site, and the company said worker and community safety remains a priority.
Police said there was no danger to the surrounding community following the incident. Officials also confirmed that no hazardous materials were breached as a result of what happened.
At this point, authorities have not released additional details about what caused the contractor to lose consciousness or whether any equipment or other factors were involved.
The investigation remains ongoing, and further information about the incident and the contractor’s identity is expected to be released as authorities are able to confirm more details.
