Wednesday, December 31, 2014

MAN DIES FROM INHALATION OF GOLD EXTRACTION CHEMICALS



MAN DIES FROM INHALATION OF GOLD EXTRACTION CHEMICALS





LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. —The Laurens County Sheriff's Office is investigating the discovery of a body found on Barrel Stave Road on Tuesday afternoon.




A man in his sixties was found in cardiac arrest inside his home Tuesday evening, said deputies.




According to deputies, a preliminary investigation shows the man was an amateur gold miner using chemicals to bring gold up from the soil.




There was no explosion and investigators believed the man died from exposure to the chemicals, said deputies.




According  to deputies, if the man had mixed the wrong materials there could have been an explosion.




Lt. Judy Stiles with the Sheriff's Office says a death investigation began at 3:41p.m.



Stiles said the State Law Enforcement Division and a hazardous-material team was also called in to help investigate due to some material that was found near the body.



Barrel Stave Road was blocked off to allow investigators to process the scene.



Stiles said there is no threat to the public, and foul play is not suspected.