Teenager dies after falling into a meat grinder at food processing factory in California
The 19-year-old was reportedly part of the cleaning crew at Tina's Burritos
A 19-year-old died in a tragic accident after a meat grinder unexpectedly activated at a food processing facility in Vernon, California, according to local police
The worker’s name has not been released. He was a member of the sanitation team at Tina's Burritos on Vernon Avenue, the Vernon Police Department said.
Daniel Onopa with the Vernon Police Department told KABC that the man was cleaning the industrial food processor when the machine activated unexpectedly.
He said that other workers heard him scream and tried to stop the machine. When police arrived, the victim had already died.
The incident reportedly occurred around 9:30pm. Police described the tragic event as an industrial accident.
Local media reports that other workers were spotted outside the food processing facility in a break area in an emotional state.
The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration reportedly visited the facility on Monday.
Vernon is approximately five miles south of downtown Los Angeles.