Worker dies after being trapped in a machine in South Carolina, coroner says
A man died after he was trapped in a machine at work, prompting an investigation in South Carolina, officials say.
Anthony Dean Lemmons, 54, died from injuries he received while working at a manufacturing business early Sunday, according to the Spartanburg County coroner’s office.
The business, Innovative Fibers, said was “saddened to confirm the loss of a co-worker from a workplace incident.”
“First responders from the facility and local emergency personnel were immediately notified and were on the scene,” the company said in an emailed statement to McClatchy News. “Production at the plant was stopped and is scheduled to resume at a later date.”
Officials said Lemmons “became entrapped in a machine” at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, roughly one hour before he was pronounced dead. He was from Pacolet, a town southeast of Spartanburg.
Innovative Fibers said it is helping the S.C. Occupational Safety and Health Administration as it investigates Lemmons’ death.
“We take any incident seriously and as a team, we continue to extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and co-workers,” Innovative Fibers said in its statement. “Innovative Fibers, in its’ 10+ year history, has made employee safety a top priority.”
A forensic exam is scheduled for Monday, the coroner’s office said in a news release.
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Worker dies after being trapped in a machine in South Carolina, coroner says."
