A 27-year-old Dayton man, Franklyn Aguiar, fell to his death just before 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29, while working at the Sunoco plant in Nederland, Texas.
Aguiar was working for a contractor for the Energy Transfer tank storage facility inside the Sunoco plant.
Aguiar suffered traumatic head wounds when he fell an estimated 20 feet or more from scaffolding, according to Jefferson County Pct. 7 Justice of the Peace Brad Burnett, who performed an inquest at the scene. Judge Burnett also ordered an autopsy to determine if there were any other factors involved in the accident.
Aguilar’s body was taken to the Jefferson County Forensics Center for the autopsy.
According to Burnett, Aguiar’s brother and father also worked for the contractor and were present when Aguiar fell from the scaffolding. Burnett said Aguiar was doing pipefitting and welding work.
The accident is still under investigation. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will investigate as it was a workplace fatality.
Burnett asked for prayers for Aguiar’s family.
“We all need to pray for the young man’s family. It’s just so sad what happened. He was a young and hardworking man, and it is terrible for this to happen to him,” Burnett said.