Man dies on the job at Smithfield plant in Tar Heel

Bladen County, NC (WWAY) — A mechanic at the Smithfield Foods plant in Tar Heel died in a workplace accident on Tuesday.

Bladen County Coroner Hubert Kinlaw says Michael Jessup, 55, died of head trauma.

Kinlaw says Jessup’s shift started at 2 p.m. The call came in just before 3:30 p.m.

Kinlaw says Jessup, who had worked at Smithfield Foods for 10 years, was on a scissor lift and trying to make a repair to a conveyor belt when the accident happened.

Jessup was pronounced dead at the scene.