Missouri Broadcast Tower Falls, Killing 1

A TV tower in Webster County, Missouri collapsed Thursday morning, killing a man and injuring several other people, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

The tower was used to broadcast KOZK Ozarks Public Television, according to a spokeswoman for Missouri State University.

Police said Stephen LaMay, 56, of Washington state was killed while working on the tower that collapsed along at 905 State Highway FF.

Authorities says just before 10 a.m., six workers were performing routine maintenance on the 1,980-foot-tall tower when it went down.

The workers were about 105 feet high at the time of the collapse, Talburt said.

Andrea Mostyn, spokeswoman for Missouri State University, briefed reporters at the scene of the incident.

Mostyn said MSU owns the tower and uses it to broadcast KOZK Ozarks Public Television.

MSU spokeswoman Suzanne Shaw said the workers were installing structural support to accommodate new equipment associated with a channel change.

MSU issued a statement, calling the tower's collapse and the ensuring death a "tragedy."

“We are shocked and saddened by the news,” Shaw said in the statement. “Our condolences go out to the victims and their families. We are also providing support and resources to the other team members affected.”

The statement said there was a crew from the state of Washington working on the tower, three of whom were transported to Springfield for medical evaluation.