19-year-old teen dies after being sucked into meat grinder at work
A 19-year-old has died after being sucked into a meat grinder at a factory in California.
The teenager was working at a Tina's Burritos processing plant in Vernon and had been cleaning the machine when it sucked him inside.
He reportedly shouted for help, but was unable to be saved by colleagues.
When emergency services arrived at the factory, the teenager was sadly pronounced dead.
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An investigation will now take place, however police are not suspecting foul play.
Sergeant Daniel Onopa, of the Vernon Police Department, said the victim had been trying to clean the processor when it suddenly turned on.
"Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and coworkers affected by this tragedy," he said.
Tina's Burritos is a brand known for producing frozen burritos.
Clips from the scene showed emergency services assembled outside of the building, meanwhile other members of staff appeared to be emotional over what had happened.
Tyla has reached out to the Vernon Police Department for further comment.
In 2019, a factory worker in Pennsylvania died when she either fell or was sucked into a meat grinder.
The woman, 35, had been using the machine on a ladder at the Economy Locker Storage Co. when the incident happened.
"This was a horrible accident," Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette at the time.
"We don't know if she fell in or was pulled in as she was perhaps reaching for something in the grinder, which was about 6 feet off the ground."
Meanwhile, just last year a man lost both his legs when he was sucked into a woodchipper.
John O'Neill was dragged into the machine by a branch and had to have his legs amputated following the tragic incident.
"Something happened in my brain to where I realized I was in fear for a lot more than just losing my leg or my foot," O'Neill told the The Denver Post.
"[The pain] was not there almost. I didn't really feel the pain as much as I knew I was in trouble. It went from a fight for my limb to a fight for my life, very fast. I was yelling for help, but everyone had ear protection on. It took a minute before my coworkers realized what was happening.
"I looked down and saw something that looked like what you see in [horror] movies.
"I was fading out but my coworkers kept me alive."
Lucy Devine