OxfordPress.com

FAIRFIELD — A Robinson Heating and Air Conditioning electrician died after a fatal accident on a contracted job at a Fairfield business, said the company's safety manager.

William Hopkins, 77, of Middletown, died in the afternoon Thursday, June 26, but how he died is still being investigated, said safety manager Les Robinson. He said he did not know the details of how Hopkins died.

"Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with the family, and our condolences," Robinson said. "He was a long-time employee, very valuable."

Hopkins, a retired AK Steel employee, had worked for Middletown-based Robinson Heating for 18 years, Robinson said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened the investigation Thursday evening into the fatality that occurred earlier that day at 1001 Tedia Way in Fairfield, said Barbara Marcum, assistant area director of the Cincinnati office.

"Any time an employee is fatally injured on the job we investigate," she said. "It will be at least a couple of weeks until we know anything."

Marcum said there was a fall involved in the accident, but would not confirm if Hopkins died as a result of the fall.

Robinson said this is the first time in the 62-year history of his family business someone died while on the job.