17 hours ago
Teen Killed in Meat Grinder Incident at Burrito Factory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A teenage cleaner was killed after he was sucked into a meat grinder at a Tina's Burritos factory.
The 19-year-old sanitation worker, who has not been publicly identified, got trapped in the machine on Sunday night at a processing plant in Vernon, California.
Sgt. Daniel Onopa, of the Vernon Police Department, said the victim was cleaning an industrial food processor at the site when the machine unexpectedly turned on. Coworkers heard his screams for help and tried to shut down the grinder, but were unable to do so in time to save his life, according to local news reports. The victim was declared dead when emergency crews arrived at the scene.
Police say it appears to have been an accident and there is no suspicion of any foul play., There will be an investigation into how the machine was activated and managed to trap the young employee
Newsweek has reached out by email to the Vernon Police Department, and has also messaged Tina's Burrito's outside of usual working hours through a contact form on its website, seeking further information and comment.
File photo: an industrial cutter for grinding meat.
File photo: an industrial cutter for grinding meat.
Salomonus_/Getty Images
Why It Matters
The incident is likely to once again shine a light on industrial safety procedures, following a spate of accidents in recent years.
In October last year, a tree worker lost both his legs in a woodchipper just 20 minutes into his first day on the job in Colorado.
Investigations occasionally find fault with the companies involved. For example, the Department of Labor slapped Caterpillar Inc. with a fine of $145,027 in 2022 after claims that lax safety procedures had contributed to the death of an employee who was killed when he fell into a vat of molten iron in Illinois.
What To Know
The meat grinder incident in California occurred at about 9:30 p.m. local time when the after-hours cleaning crew were working at the site.
Local news channel ABC 7 aired RMG News footage of the scene after the incident. Apparently filmed through a gate, past a fire truck with flashing lights, the clip showed workers milling around tables in a seating area, with some appearing emotional. One worker was shown wiping her eyes.
Tina's Burritos is a well-known brand that makes single-serve frozen burritos. The company's website said it has so far fed more than 2 billion people and there is a video on the website to explain "how a 58-cent burrito gets made with this much flavor."
CEO Robert Cross explained the company makes "over a million burritos a day," while several factory workers were featured in the footage explaining in Spanish a little about their roles and revealing which Tina's burrito was their personal favorite.
What People Are Saying
Sgt. Daniel Onopa, of the Vernon Police Department, said: "Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and coworkers affected by this tragedy."
What Happens Next
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (known as Cal/OSHA) are now investigating the death.
