Worker crushed to death by robotic machine at Wisconsin frozen pizza factory

The company called the worker’s death a ‘tragic accident’

A worker has been crushed to death by a robotic machine at a frozen pizza factory in Wisconsin, officials say.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s office identified the man as 45-year-old Robert Cherone, according to multiple local outlets.

It happened at Palermo’s Pizza factory in West Milwaukee on Wednesday morning. The factory is known for brands such as Screamin’ Sicilian and Urban Pie.

Rebecca Schimke, a spokesperson for Palermo’s, called Cherone’s death a “tragic accident,” in a statement obtained by Wisconsin Public Radio and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

A worker has been crushed to death by a robotic machine at a frozen pizza factory in Wisconsin, officials say (Emily Elconin/Getty Images)

“Palermo’s will be supporting the employee’s family and next of kin. We will also be offering counseling and support services to the Palermo’s team during this difficult time,” Schimke said.

The West Milwaukee Police Department said in a press release shared by Wisconsin Public Radio that they were called to the pizza factory shortly after 6:30 a.m. local time Wednesday.

First responders tried to save Cherone, but he died at the factory, police say.

The incident is under investigation and Palermo’s said it is “cooperating with government officials and gathering facts.”

Stephanie Bloomingdale, the president of Wisconsin’s AFL-CIO, a federation of dozens of national and international labor unions, called for workplace safety in a statement obtained by local news.

“This tragic incident underscores the need for everyone involved in our workplaces — workers, employers, relevant government agencies — to work together aggressively to ensure that every person who goes to work to provide for themselves and their family comes home safely at the end of the day,” she said.

Bloomingdale added that workers at the pizza factory are not in a union, but “we nonetheless share the pain of a fellow worker losing their life on the job.”

According to a report published in April by the AFL-CIO, 5,283 U.S. workers died on the job in 2023. Out of those deaths, 112 were in Wisconsin.