By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A man working on the river batture trying to dismantle a Mississippi River barge for salvage died Tuesday when a piece of the metal deck fell on him, according to a release from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities have not released the name of the man involved in the accident, but Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Dane Clement said the worker is believed to be from Mexico.

Clement said deputies were called to the river batture in the 3100 block of River Road in Garyville at 10:19 a.m. Tuesday, where they found the 29-year-old man unresponsive. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Clement said the man was employed by Rectec LLC of Loranger. A Rectec supervisor on site told deputies the worker was dismantling a barge for salvage when the deck fell on him.