Three men were severely injured during a paving accident inDistrict Four Monday morning.

Jack Hall, 64, a road crew worker with District One, was listedin critical condition and was airlifted to University MedicalCenter, according to a hospital spokesman.

An unidentified inmate of the Lincoln County Jail, who wasassisting the road crew, and an unidentified independent truckdriver for Hunt Oil of Laurel also received severe tar burns,county officials said.

The inmate’s name was not released pending notification of hisfamily, and telephone calls to Hunt Oil Monday morning wentunanswered.

Lincoln County Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey said heunderstood that Hall and the inmate would later be transferred tothe Greenville Burn Center.

Details were sketchy Monday morning as supervisors walked thehalls of King’s Daughters Medical Center checking on the men.

“All I know right now is a hose burst and they got better than200-degree oil on them,” said District Three Supervisor Nolan EarlWilliamson said.

“That’s all I know right now. I don’t want to get in the way ofthe doctors while they treat these men,” Williamson said.

According to Galey, the men were offloading asphalt from thetruck to begin paving when they “were burned by liquidasphalt.”

The accident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. on West Lincoln Roadnear the intersection with Highway 84, officials said.

Serious paving accidents are rare, Galey said, but “minormishaps” do occur. He said he couldn’t remember another accidentthis serious.

“They’ve had minor mishaps, but that’s in the day-to-dayoperations,” he said.

Supervisors commonly assist each other on paving projects byproviding additional men and equipment, Williamson said, referringto why Hall, who works for District One, was assisting on aDistrict Four road.

The Lincoln County Board of Supervisors meeting scheduled forMonday at 9 a.m. was canceled because of the accident. It has beenrescheduled for the same time Tuesday morning.

“I’ve just been telling everyone as they show up that themeeting has been recessed until tomorrow because of an accident inthe county,” said Chancery Clerk and Board Secretary TillmonBishop, adding that those who were scheduled to appear had beennotified.