Athol mill worker dies

A worker at Merritt Brothers Lumber Company in Athol died early Friday as a result of an industrial accident.

It appears the 45-year-old man sustained a “mechanical injury” while trying to clear a broken piece of wood from a machine, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.

The man’s name was not released by the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were called to the lumber mill just after 6 a.m., and medical personnel responded and transported the man to Kootenai Health where he was pronounced deceased.

Deputies are still investigating the scene and attempting to locate family members for notification. Per the Sheriff’s Office, no additional information is available.