Two men assembling a tower Tuesday morning fell 60 feet from the temporary transmission tower, killing one and critically injuring the second.

Marissa Stone of the state’s environmental health department says the men were working on the tower at about 9:00 am when the tower collapsed. 

The tower was to be used in an international electric power conference taking place at the old Reeves generating station near Paseo del Norte and Interstate 25 in north Albuquerque.

“They were very seriously hurt,” said Eddie Padilla of PNM.  “Our thoughts and focus are on those individuals and their families.”

The reason behind the accident was not readily available.  An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Officials say that the two men were contractors from out of state, and Stone from environmental health says they were employed by Windco Power Line Services from Oregon. 

One man was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital by helicopter; the other was taken to UNMH by ambulance.  Their names have not been released.