A 19-year-old was killed by a meat grinder after the machine pulled him inside during a routine cleaning. The incident happened in California at Tina’s Burritos food processing plant in Vernon. The teen, whose identity has not been released, was part of the sanitation team and was working an after-hours shift on Sunday when the fatal accident occurred. According to reports, the machine unexpectedly powered up and sucked him inside.
The tragedy unfolded around 9:30 p.m. when the teen suddenly found himself trapped. Witnesses say he cried out for help during the ordeal. His coworkers rushed to respond, but by then the situation had already turned deadly. Despite their efforts to shut off the machine, it was too late. Police were alerted, and when they arrived, the young man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The emotional toll of the accident has rippled through the workplace. A statement from the City of Vernon offered condolences to those impacted, saying, “Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and coworkers affected by this tragedy.”
While police have ruled out foul play, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), along with the District Attorney’s Office, has launched a joint investigation to determine the cause of the tragedy.
In a completely separate incident just last week, that is just as gruesome, a physical therapist in Arizona, Dr. Walter Foxcroft, lost his life in a freak accident when a hyperbaric chamber caught fire during use. The sealed oxygen-filled chamber is often used for patient rehabilitation.
Another workplace tragedy that also involved a meat grinder happened in 2019. In this case, a 35-year-old factory worker in Pennsylvania died after she somehow ended up inside an industrial meat grinder. She had been using a 6-foot ladder before the fatal accident occurred.
Reports indicate she may have slipped from the ladder and fallen inside, or she may have been sucked into the machine. Emergency crews worked for nearly an hour to dismantle the equipment and recover her remains.