Photo by Kenneth Dean, Staff Writer.

SWANN – A contract worker performing some demolition work on the nothern plant area of Tyler Pipe was killed Wednesday morning when the Bobcat machinery he was operating crushed him. 

Smith County Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace James Cowart said the 33-year-old Houston man was operating the machinery about 8 a.m. when the accident happened. 

“I guess he lost sight of where he was and backed off a retaining wall into a sand pit and it rolled over on top of him,” he said. 

Cowart said the 911 call had Smith County Sheriff’s deputies responding to the scene along with EMS, and once on scene Lindale Fire was called to assist in the recovery of the body. 

“Lindale called Longview Fire to help because they specialize in certain types of rescues,” he said.

A heavy crane was also dispatched to the location to lift the machinery off of the man’s body.

Cowart said the man worked for B&H Griffin Construction of Houston and supervisors from the company are en route to the area. 

The man’s identity is not being released at this time.