The Associated Press said Thursday that Richard Rodriguez, 45, was connecting an electrical cable to a dragline at a mine owned by Dallas-based operator North American Coal when the line rotated and hit him. He died the following day at a local hospital.

The operation produces lignite for the San Miguel power facility in San Antonio, and a mine spokesperson told the news service operations have been suspended.

A request for additional information and comment from the US Mine Safety and Health Administration by International Longwall News was not immediately returned.

According to agency records the complex was taken over from Atascosa Mining in 1997 and is currently controlled by NACCO Industries. No fatalities or NFDL injuries were reported last year, when the mine produced about 3.6 million tons.

Rodriguez's death is the 27th industry fatality of 2007.