The 65-year-old worker was remembered as someone with a “constant positive attitude”.
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A 65-year-old man known for his work ethic has died after being detained at a recycling center in South Carolina, officials said.
Michael Harrison Cooper was working at a business in Boiling Springs when he became “trapped between a large dumpster and a cement wall,” according to the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office.
Cooper — a 65-year-old Spartanburg resident — was pronounced dead around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, the coroner’s office said in a news release.
Officials said that the incident took place in Valley Falls Recycling Center, which closed early on the day of Cooper’s death. The object is there scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, Nov. 29, following the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
In a statement to news publications, Spartanburg County said he was “deeply saddened” afterwards “tragic accident” featuring Cooper.
“Michael Cooper was a respected member of our Public Works Department,” the statement said, according to WSPA and WYFF. “According to his colleagues, he was a kind, hard-working guy who always kept a positive attitude. We ask that you keep Michael’s family, friends and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”
A medical examiner is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 25, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been notified of Cooper’s death, the coroner’s office said.
The South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Spartanburg County did not immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Nov. 25.
