SMYRNA – A 23-year-old gas well worker died Sunday following a drilling site accident in Smyrna.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office reported Charles Bevins III of West Virginia, who worked for Braden Drilling, a Norse Energy contractor, was fatally injured at about 9 a.m. Sunday at a drilling site along State Highway 80, near the intersection of Stowell Road, in the Town of Smyrna.

Mr. Bevins was transported by Cooperstown Medical Transport to the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, where he later died during surgery.

“Bevins was helping direct the forklift operator when the forklift rolled into a rut and pinned him against the equipment,” stated the Sheriff’s Office.

“We want to extend condolences to the family for these unfortunate circumstances,” said Norse Energy Executive Vice President Dennis Holbrook Monday. “My empathy goes out to their loved ones. I have children about that age myself and the incident has made me personally upset.”