The maintenance worker who died Monday morning after being pulled into a wood chipper has been identified as Henry Lira.

60-year-old Lira had worked for the county since 1969.   On Monday morning he was part of a four person crew clearing brush doing maintenance on Whiting Road near Paulsen road when the accident occurred, according to Sheriff’s Office reports.  The accident occurred at 9:15 a.m.

Sgt. Bill Gazza of the county Sheriff’s Office said that “he got caught up in it and he’s deceased.”  Lira died at the scene.

Dinah Phillips, County spokeswoman, said “he’d been her a long time” and staffers were “pretty shaken” by Lira’s death.

The county’s Mental Health Crisis Team consoled members of Lira’s crew, witnesses and others involved with the accident.

“We are very sorry to announce the death of a longtime county employee who died this morning in a tragic accident,” John Presleigh, director of Public Works, and Susan Mauriello, county administrative officer, said in a prepared statement. “We are deeply saddened by this incident, and our hearts and condolences go out to family and friends.”

The accident is still being investigated by the county Public Works Department, Sheriff’s Office, and California Division of Occupational Safety and Health.