An oilfield accident claimed the life of a 44-year-old worker and injured another Monday in Midland County.

County Fire Marshal Dale Little said that at about noon near Highway 158 and County Road 60, Ronnie May and another man were working on a rig owned by Tulsa, Okla.-basedHelmerich & Payne Inc. Little said the two men were working on some drilling pipe on a rack when the pipe slipped. Little said one man’s leg was caught by it, and May was caught between the pipe and some drill collars, crushing May.

May was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital where he was later pronounced dead by Midland Justice of the Peace David Cobos.

A hospital representative said May’s family was from Seguin.

The name of the other man wasn’t available Monday. Attempts to locate him based on reports from other media were unsuccessful, but CBS 7 gave his identity as 23-year-old Mariano Pruneda, also of Seguin.

Calls to H&P Inc. were not returned Monday afternoon.

Little said the company was legally obligated to contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA completes an investigation and report within six months of a fatal accident.

Little said his and the county’s involvement in the case was finished after he determined the cause of death was accidental.