A 41-year old cleaning worker died after falling into a running meat blender at a meat-processing plant, according to ABC News.
The DCS Sanitation Management of Oregon employed Hugo Avalos-Chanon at the Interstate Meat Distributors plant. Avalon-Chanon began cleaning the blender around 11:45 p.m. when the accident occurred, the Huffington Post reported.
A fellow worker attempted to shutdown the machine by turning on an emergency switch, "but it was too late", according to local news outlet KGW.
The paramedics found Avalos-Chanon's body entangled in the machinery's blades. Firefighters returned the next day to remove the victim's body. In the past, the processing plant received numerous violations for the equipment being used.
Dr. Cliff Young, a deputy state medical examiner, said the victim died from "blunt-force injuries and chopping wounds."
"[It is] extremely unfortunate," Darrin Hoy, the president of Interstate Meat Distributors, said. "We don't have any additional comment on our tragic loss of life in our facility."
Hoy said the company will cooperate with investigators and will remain open.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, investigators are currently examining evidence, interviewing witnesses and reviewing all records.
Deputy Nate Thompson went on record to say investigators do not suspect foul play in the death of Avalos-Chanon.
A recent report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, states that a number of machines were not locked down before the cleaning process.
If machines are not locked down prior to cleaning, there is an increased risk of injury.
Since 2011, a total of 4,693 people have died due to workplace injuries in the United States, according to the Huffington Post.
After an explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant nearly two weeks ago, industrial plants have received increased scrutiny.
