Seal-coating fatality
One dead, three injured in Midland construction incident Friday
MIDLAND A construction accident in Midland killed a Justin, Texas, man and severely wounded another Friday.
Midland County sheriff’s deputy Ronny Aaron said William D. Weeks, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene and Jeffrey T. Wylie, 40, was transported to Midland Memorial Hospital after the two inhaled fumes while applying a seal coat on the floor of a new facility for Teen Challenge of the Permian Basin, 6901 South County Road 1200, Midland.
Two other men associated with Teen Challenge, Troy Clawson and Brad Liles, were also transported to the hospital Friday after calling 9-1-1 and rushing into the room to try to save Wylie. All three were released from the hospital as of Monday.
Clawson said that when he and Liles found the contractors at about 9:20 p.m. that night, the windows were all closed, causing bad ventilation. Clawson said they opened a window and got Wylie to it, but they very quickly felt overpowered by the fumes as well.
Aaron said the incident is being ruled as an accident, pending the autopsy, but he didn’t anticipate any charges would be filed.
“It’s just a real unfortunate accident,” Aaron said.
David Day, director of the Teen Challenge of the Permian Basin, said the two men were the only workers for the Cross Crete Concrete Company of Justin. Day said his organization hired the company because it gave the most reasonable bid.
Teen Challenge is a faith-based substance abuse program.
ON THE NET
>> Teen Challenge of the Permian Basin: www.teenchallengepb.com
