A tragic accident resulted in a Mississippi man being "buried under hot asphalt" after his truck malfunctioned.
The incident occurred on Monday when 41-year-old Darrell Sheriff was working on a hydraulic line underneath a dump truck at AJ Materials in Jackson, per the New York Post.
As he was doing the work, the tailgate suddenly opened, releasing a heavy load of smoldering asphalt onto him.
When used for paving, asphalt is combined with aggregates like gravel, sand, and stone to create "asphalt concrete" or "blacktop".
This mixture is heated to high temperatures, making it pourable and malleable enough to spread smoothly across surfaces.
Officers from the Jackson Police Department arrived at the scene around 10:30AM and found Sheriff buried beneath the hot asphalt, Police Chief Joseph Wade confirmed in a press conference.
“There were some individuals on scene that tried to help him,” Wade reported. “They said he tried to fight to make it through those injuries, but they were just too enormous for him to survive.”
Chief Wade described the incident as “horrific” and “tragic,” adding: “It’s something that you do not want to see.”
The police department has launched a thorough investigation into the fatality, though the incident is currently being treated as an accident.
“It appeared to be some type of malfunction with his dump truck,” Wade explained.
Several family members of Sheriff were present at the scene and were left devastated by the loss, remembering him as a “good, hard-working family man,” Wade shared.
With the holiday season approaching, the family’s grief is especially profound.
“With the holidays coming up, to lose this gentleman, who was out here just trying to make a living,” Wade said. “They’re really hurt, but we’re going to be here to support them and uplift them in prayer.”
Tributes have already flooded in via social media, with many friends and relatives paying their respects.
"R.I.P to Darrell Sheriff man we been boys since high school. Shame damn life doesn't come with any guarantees," one friend posted.
"GOD BOUGHT MY COUSIN HOME TODAY!! A VERY HUMBLE MAN IMMA MISS YOU COUSIN Darrell Sheriff IM LOST FOR WORDS," a second person said.
A third added: "My deepest sympathy and Prayers to the Sheriff family! RIP classmate. You will definitely be missed."
Our thoughts are with Sheriff's loved ones during this difficult time.