Two contractors and a firefighter have been killed after two mobile phone masts collapsed in West Virginia.

The workers were tethered to a 300ft mast when the structure collapsed in Clarksburg. A member of the Nutter Fort Fire Department died after a second, smaller tower collapsed minutes later.

Two other contractors who were also tethered to the larger mast were hurt and taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

The contractors were doing maintenance to strengthen the mast's support when it collapsed, police said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

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