By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

NORCO – A contract worker from Houston working at Valero’s St. Charles Refinery died Sunday after being hospitalized because of an accident at the Norco refinery that also injured another worker.

Victor Rodriguez, 30, perished in the accident, which took place on the refinery’s millisecond catalytic cracking unit, said Lt. Doug Cain, a spokesman for Louisiana State Police. Cain said refinery personnel told state police the unit was shut down at the time of the accident.

Cain said the incident occurred about 6 p.m. while Rodriguez and Joseph Barr, 28, of Mansura were working on a construction project at the unit. One was a safety monitor while the other was grinding metal as part of the project.

Barr, who survived the accident, told state police he smelled hydrogen sulfide and immediately began an evacuation of the area. Cain said Barr passed out and said when he regained consciousness he was halfway down a ladder guard. He said Rodriguez was on the ground level.

Bill Day, executive director of media relations for Valero, said an emergency response team conducted a rescue, and both workers were taken to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace. Both men were wearing personal monitors that indicated hydrogen sulfide exposure, but Rodriguez also experienced head trauma as a result of a fall. The men are employed by Houston-based Koch Specialty Plant Services, said Day.

Day said Barr was released from the hospital on Monday after treatment of minor injuries.

He said an investigation to determine the cause of the accident is under way. The incident did not present any danger to the community, and the refinery continued to operate following the incident.