Kenner resident killed in IMTT plant accident
Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 22, 2005
By Caleb Frey
Staff Reporter
ST ROSE – A Kenner man was killed Friday morning in an accident at the International Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT) plant in St Rose, according to representative of the plant.
Ron Mix, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, was crushed under a tanker his company was lifting, according to Mix Brothers Administrator Donald August. IMTT had contracted Mix out to do a job for them.
“We had a tank that collapsed on him while he was in a Bobcat track loader,” August said. “We were working in poor soil conditions and the soil gave way.”
Mix was a 30-year veteran in his field who actually co-developed the process his company uses to lift storage tanks with hydraulic jacks.
This came as a shock to August who described Mix as a very knowledgeable man in his field and an all around great person.
W.O. Cottingham and daughter Mary Lowe were deeply saddened by the loss of Mix.
Cottingham retired the pastor of The First Baptist Church of St. Rose where Mix preached temporarily as a lay minister. Cottingham had not been replaced permanently yet because Mix was still helping the church and it wasn’t a necessity according to Lowe.
“Both Ron and his wife Jane were active members of the community,” Lowe said. “He was truly a beautiful person. He lived a Christian life everyday.”
Memorial services are to be held in Alberta, Canada on Thursday with a separate memorial service to be held in St. Rose in January.