65-year-old dies after he’s pinned between wall and trash container, SC coroner says
A 65-year-old known for his work ethic died after he was pinned at a South Carolina recycling center, officials said.
Michael Harrison Cooper was working at the facility in Boiling Springs when he became “trapped between a large trash container and a cement wall,” according to the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office.
Cooper — a 65-year-old Spartanburg resident — was pronounced dead at about 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23, the coroner’s office wrote in a news release.
Officials said the incident happened at the Valley Falls Recycling Collection Center, which closed early the day of Cooper’s death. The facility is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, Nov. 29, after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
In a statement to news outlets, Spartanburg County said it was “deeply saddened” after the “tragic accident” involving Cooper.
“Michael Cooper was a valued member of our Public Works Department,” the statement said, according to WSPA and WYFF. “According to his coworkers, he was a good-natured, hardworking guy who kept a constant positive attitude. We ask that you please keep Michael’s family, friends and coworkers in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
A forensic exam is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 25, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was alerted to Cooper’s death, the coroner’s office said.
The South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Spartanburg County didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Nov. 25.
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