Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 28, 1991 TAG: 9102280292
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: NARROWS LENGTH: Medium
"He was an A-1 guy, I can tell you that," his sister, Joyce Dileloo, said Wednesday. "It's just one of those things. It's just a bad, tragic accident."
Smith, 45, was nearing the end of his shift at the Celco plant Tuesday when a valve he was working on blew apart and killed him. He died at the plant of massive head injuries soon after the 12:30 p.m. accident.
"There's an overwhelming sense of sadness," said personnel manager Gary List. Two counselors came to the Narrows factory to talk confidentially with workers about the accident, he said. Flags at the plant were flown at half staff Wednesday.
"He was a good friend, and as good a fellow as I've ever worked with in my life," said Wayne Sibold, one of four men in the area when the accident occurred.
List said Smith was testing a 36-inch valve under air pressure for possible use in the manufacturing process. Celco, which employs about 2,000 people, makes synthetic fibers for cigarette filters and other materials. "The housing on the valve released. I guess you could say it burst . . . causing the fatality of Jerry Smith. Basically, it hit him," he said.
Two investigators with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry were at the plant Tuesday and Wednesday, talking with workers and examining the scene. A department spokeswoman said the investigation will probably take several months.
Celco also was conducting an internal investigation of the first fatality at the plant in about 15 years, List said.
Further testing of valves in the shop area where Smith was killed has been suspended, he said. "We do not have any reason to believe there are any problems with any valves that are in operation."
Dave Greenlief, president of the Textile Workers Union of America local, said the plant's emergency rescue brigade responded within five minutes. The brigade is made up of Celco workers who receive ongoing training, he said.
The Giles County Sheriff's Department and county rescue squad were not called to the accident.
Smith, a Giles County native and union member, had worked at Celco for just six months, but had done contract work at the plant for several years as an employee of Harris Mechanical Contractors in Radford. His sister said he loved his job at Celco, partly because it was indoors, partly because "it was a pipe-fitting job, and that's the kind of job he liked."
Smith leaves behind a wife, Sandra, and two sons, John Wayne, 15, and Jerry Paul, 9.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB