By Gwen Albers

Tidewater News

FRANKLIN, VA — A worker died Friday after a 12:55 p.m. accident on the International Paper grounds, said Don Robertson, spokesman for Isle of Wight County.

The victim was identified as Jimmy Denny of Roanoke Rapids.

When emergency workers got the call for the apparent accident, it was indicated the victim was caught in a crane, and was injured and bleeding badly.

“Apparently the accident did involve a crane, and it may have either trapped the person or fallen on the person,” Robertson said.

Denny was taken to Southampton Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Denny was working for Tak Investments, said Julie Brennan, communications manager for IP.

Sahil Tak, vice-president of ST Tissue, had no comment.

Tak Investments, the parent company of ST Tissue, in April leased from IP a paper machine, office space, a sheeting warehouse, and a recycled fiber facility.

The company will be recycling waste paper into tissue for napkins and towels.

The plant’s recycled fiber facility is operational, and the tissue machine was scheduled to begin operating by the end of October.

Robertson believes the incident will be investigated.

“It’s early in the process, but in anything like this, OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Administration) gets involved,” he said.