COLERAIN – James T. Morgan, 30, of Edenton, was seriously injured Wednesday while working at the tornado disaster relief site at Colerain Baptist Church.

According to a press release issued by the NC Division of Forest Resources with whom he is employed, Morgan was assigned to the incident as a forklift operator. At the time of the accident, he was standing next to a tractor-trailer when a pickup truck accidentally backed into him and pinned him against the trailer. He was taken to Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie and then transferred to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville.

Morgan has suffered severe damage to his liver and some damage to other internal organs. He also has some cracked vertebrae. He is conscious and able to move his extremities. His spinal cord was apparently uninjured.

Although his injuries are not considered life threatening, the next 36 hours are critical.