FAIRMONT, NC (WBTW) – The NC Department of Labor confirms a lineman was killed changing out a power pole Wednesday in Robeson County.

The department says the incident happened at 10:30 a.m.on Fire Tower Road, across from Wire Grass Road, in Fairmont.

Preliminary reports state employees were changing out a power pole and while moving a ‘primary neutral’, there was an arc down through the pole to the ground and the victim was standing near the pole.

According to Stephanie Chavis with Robeson County Emergency Management identified the victim as 24-year-old Matthew Sampson, who was employed with East Coast Electric of Pembroke.

The NC Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division is investigating.