Accident claims life of Farmington man

A Farmington man was killed on April 11 when a piece of mining equipment collapsed inside the Mississippi Lime Company off U.S. 61 in Ste. Genevieve.

John Hahl, 53, of Farmington, and Chris Rawson, 29, of Hillsboro, died in an accident involving a piece of mining equipment at Mississippi Lime Works in Ste. Genevieve at 8:30 a.m. Friday. Law enforcement officials had said the equipment was a boom.

Ste. Genevieve County Coroner Leo Basler told the Associated Press the men were in a basket, or boom, extended from a truck several feet below, removing loose rock from either the wall or the ceiling of the mine.

“The Mississippi Lime team lost two valued members this morning in an accident involving a piece of underground mining equipment. We just spoke with the family and expressed our deepest sympathy for their loss,” said Mississippi Lime Works President Bill Ayers after the accident.

St. Louis-based Mississippi Lime Co. makes calcium products and calcium-based solutions.

Hahl was a 1978 graduate of Farmington High School. He worked at Mississippi Lime Company for nine years as a trainer and boom scaler after working as a self-employed.

Hahl is survived by include his father, Harry Hahl, Sr.; daughters, Jessica (Daniel Engler) Hahl and Nichole Hahl; sisters, Valerie (Mike) Brooks and Cathy (Charlie) Bettah; brothers, Harry “Sonny” Hahl, Jr., Joseph (Penny) Hahl and Jeff Hahl; and special friend, Amy Jarrett and her daughter, Jayla; a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Visitation and services were held this morning in the Cozean Chapel, with interment at Knob Lick Cemetery in Knob Lick. Memorials may be made to the Jessica and Nichole Hahl memorial fund. Arrrangement were made through Cozean Funeral Home.

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