BUCKHANNON, WV -- A contractor fell 40 feet to his death in a silo of a Weyerhaeuser engineered wood truss plant on Monday, October 27.

Mike Atkinson, 44, of Pennsylvania was doing work at approximately 8:30 p.m. when the incident occurred. The plant had been shut down for routine maintenance, according to WBOY TV.

Rescuers reportedly used ropes to lower themselves to the bottom of thesilo to get to Atkinson's body. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local authorities were investigating the incident.

The former Trus Joist plant manufactures Microllam Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and  Parallam Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL) used in building construction.