Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A forklift operator was killed at the Hyundai MOBIS plant in West Point Wednesday night.

Keith Wheeler, of Columbus, was killed during an apparent forklift accident at the plant.

Troup County Chief Deputy Coroner Amy Sheppard said the fatal accident happened around 10:30 p.m. Wheeler was transported to the WellStar West Georgia Medical Center and was pronounced deceased at the emergency room. The victim was pronounced deceased around midnight.

Sheppard said Wheeler had been driving a stand-up forklift when the incident occurred.

“We’re not sure exactly how it happened because there was no camera in the area. But it looks like he may have backed into one of the shelves and gotten pinned,” Sheppard said.

The Troup County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and OSHA has been notified, according to Sheppard. The victim is being sent to the GBI for an autopsy.

TCSO Public Information Officer Sgt. Stewart Smith confirmed that the sheriff’s office is investigating the incident.

“It appears to just be an industrial accident, but we’ve got some investigators following up with witnesses,” Smith said.