Worker Dies in Blender at Meat-Processing Plant

Worker dies in blender: A cleaning worker died after he fell into a blender at a meat-processing plant in Oregon.

CLACKAMAS, Ore.—An Oregon cleaning worker was killed when he fell into a running blender at a meat-processing plant, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Oregon state authorities are now investigating the incident, which took place at Interstate Meat Distributors Inc. Avalos-Chanon at around midnight on Friday, reported OregonLive.com.

Hugo Avalos-Chanon, 41, a cleaning contractor from Southeast Portland, was doing a routine job when he fell into the blender. He was declared dead shortly after midnight.

In October, state investigators fined Interstate Meat after finding machinery in the meat-grounding room locked up improperly during cleaning. At the time, an inspector said an “unexpected start-up of the machine” could cause injury or death.

“Another worker realized something was wrong and activated an emergency switch which stopped the equipment,” Deputy Marcus Mendoza of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office told KREM.com. “Unfortunately the worker was already deceased.”

Paramedics and sheriff’s deputies were called around 11:45 p.m. Friday, after Avalos-Chanon was found entangled in the machinery. Another worker had hit an emergency stop button, but it was too late, Thompson said. Firefighters returned the following day to dismantle the machine and remove the body.

Dr. Cliff Young, a deputy state medical examiner, said Avalos-Chanon died from “blunt-force injuries and chopping wounds.”

Deputy Nate Thompson said investigators believe the death is a “tragic industrial accident” and do not suspect foul play.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.