A tragic industrial accident claimed the life of a 19-year-old worker at the Vernon-based Tina’s Burritos facility. The incident occurred late Sunday night around 9:30 p.m., when the young man, a member of the sanitation crew, got trapped and subsequently died in a meat grinder, local authorities reported.
Details surrounding the accident are still emerging, but initial reports from ABC7 indicate that the worker was cleaning an industrial food processor when it activated unexpectedly. His co-workers, hearing his cries for help, attempted to extricate him from the machine, to no avail. When officers arrived, the man had already succumbed to his injuries. Despite the incident, Vernon Police Department Sgt. Daniel Onopa stated, "there was no indication of foul play and that it appears to be a terrible accident."
Following the accident, visibly shaken employees gathered outside the factory. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has been notified and is expected to start an investigation into the circumstances of the young worker's death the following Monday.
Located approximately five miles south of downtown Los Angeles, Vernon is home to numerous industrial facilities, including the 2600 block of Vernon Avenue, where Tina’s Burritos is situated. The city's proximity to the metropolis serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that can exist even in seemingly mundane work environments. The name of the victim has not yet been disclosed as authorities are likely still notifying next of kin.
Meanwhile, another report from KTLA corroborated the time of the accident, confirming that the young man was a part of the night sanitation crew. Alberto Mendez, lending expertise to the report, added that the presence of Cal/OSHA the next day is a standard procedure in the wake of industrial accidents of this nature.
