The Marion County Coroner and Centralia Police are investigating a construction worker’s death Thursday afternoon at the Centralia Junior High School.
According to information from radio station WRXX in Centralia, Matthew Smith, age 32, of Tilden, was welding on a construction project at the school. The preliminary investigation indicates Smith was experiencing functional issues with his welding machine and went to investigate. He did not return in a timely manner and co-workers went to check on him. They found him collapsed and unresponsive.
Smith was taken to the Emergency Department of SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia where he was pronounced deceased.
An autopsy was scheduled for Friday morning to determine if he came into contact with electrical current or experienced an unknown medical event. Foul play is not suspected.
