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Officials: Worker died from skull fracture after fall at Gaston plant

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Channel 9 has obtained more information surrounding the death of a Gaston County plant worker last week.

The man was killed while working at his job last Tuesday morning, according to officials.

Emergency workers found the man dead when they arrived at Crypton Fabrics on Crypton Drive off N.C. 161 around 2 a.m.

Chip King, the company's vice president, said the worker was found dead near a tenter frame, which is a machine is used to dry upholstery and fabric.

Hi-Tex called in the state Occupational Health and Safety Administration to help investigate the workplace death.

According to the North Carolina Department of Labor, the employee -- who was 54 -- was working on a doffing machine when he fell across a cross beam of the machine, fracturing his skull.

His name has not been released.

King told Channel 9 everyone is heartbroken over the loss. Condolences have been passed along to the family and the company was also assembling a team to investigate the incident.

Hi-Tex Inc., located in the Gaston County portion of Kings Mountain, does printing and embossing on plastics and fabric articles.

State officials said investigations can last anywhere from a few weeks to six months.

Investigators will determine a cause and whether any safety or health violations occurred related to the incident.