Accident at power plant leaves one dead

EDWARDSPORT, Ind. (WTHI) - An apparent construction accident at the Edwardsport, Indiana power plant leaves one person dead, according to the Knox County Sheriff Department.

The accident happened this morning at the power plant Duke Energy is building in Edwardsport, Indiana.

Knox County officials say it appears John Garrett, 52, of Owensville, Ind. died in a construction accident.

Emergency crews were called to the power plant around 11:15 Wednesday morning.

Knox County Coroner Don Halter tells News 10 Garrett was painting inside a tank when the scaffolding he was on collapsed.

He fell about 40 feet to the concrete below.

Garrett suffered massive head and chest injuries as a result of the fall.

Duke Energy officials say Garrett was working for Texas-based sub-contractor CBNI.

Workers were dismissed from the site early, and the company will hold a mandatory safety meeting before work resumes tomorrow.

Duke Spokesman Angeline Protogere said, "The company share's the family's grief," and added "Duke takes safety very seriously."

The death is the first at the plant under construction at Edwardsport.