A New Beaver Borough man was killed Tuesday in an industrial accident at the IPSCO Koppel Tubular Steel plant.

Ronald W. Hackett, 45, was at work on a tube straightening machine about 8 a.m. Samuel A. Teolis, a deputy Lawrence County coroner, said the machine was very large and Hackett became caught in it.

Medic Rescue workers transported him to Ellwood City Hospital, where Dr. David Simon pronounced him dead at 9:07 a.m.

Teolis said an autopsy was performed immediately and found that his death was due to asphyxiation.

Kelly Brossart, a spokeswoman at the corporate offices in Canada, said the accident took place inside the melt shop facility in Koppel.

She said the company notified the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and representatives were on the scene yesterday investigating the accident, along with the corporation’s director of safety.

Brossart said the facts were just being gathered and declined to confirm or release any other details.

Hackett lived on Possum Hollow Road with his wife, Carla, and two teenage daughters.