AMMA, W.Va. — A veteran state Division of Highways worker remained in critical condition Friday morning at a Charleston hospital after being pinned underneath a large rock on a flood cleanup site in Roane County Thursday.
The man, who is not being identified by the DOH, has worked for more than 18 years for the agency. He was helping another worker clear debris from a drain pipe on Clio Road when the large rock came off the hillside. He didn’t have time to get out of the way, DOH spokesperson Carrie Jones said.
“Our thoughts and prayers have been, not only for this worker, but the other workers who had to witness this and tried to help him,” she said.
DOH crews have been working overtime since the floods hit on June 23. Thursday’s accident is a reminder of how dangerous the work can be, Jones said.
“DOH employees are easy to criticize but they’re some of the most hardworking people and when something like this happens it’s just heartbreaking,” she said.