A Mississippi man died after accidentally being buried under hot asphalt, officials say.
"It appeared to be some type of malfunction with his dump truck," said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade, adding that it was a "horrific situation."
On Monday, 41-year-old Darrell Sheriff was attempting to repair a hydraulic line underneath his dump truck when a malfunction caused the tailgate to open, releasing hot asphalt onto him, according to WJTV.
People in the vicinity who witnessed the accident attempted to help Sheriff, according to Wade,
"He tried to fight to make it through those injuries but it was just too enormous for him to survive," said Wade.
Family described Sheriff as a "good, hardworking family man who just trying to make a living."
The incident, which has harrowed witnesses and Sheriff's family members, is still under investigation despite the death appearing to be accidental.
Originally published on Latin Times.
