NEED TO KNOW
- Jose Fernando Partida, 57, was cleaning a chemical mixer at Gowan Milling LLC in Yuma, Ariz., on Jan. 4
- The machine turned on while he was inside, and he was reportedly trapped in the mixer for five hours
- After a complex rescue, he was taken to the hospital, where he died days later
A man died after he was trapped in a chemical mixer at his job in Yuma, Ariz., on Jan. 4.
Jose Fernando Partida, 57, was cleaning the inside of a chemical mixer at his job at Gowan Milling LLC. A second employee went inside, but then the machine turned on, , Arizona Family reported.
The second employee escaped, but Partida was trapped inside, per the outlet.
Rural Metro Fire shut the power off immediately, and after five hours and a complex rescue, first responders and a hazmat team removed Partida from the machine.
He sustained several injuries, including broken ribs, a broken leg, a broken arm and bruising throughout his body. He was transported to the hospital, where he died on Jan. 10.
“When they called me that he had an accident, I thought it was like a small accident,” his son Omar told the outlet.
“The sad thing is the time that he was there and that he was begging for help,” Omar said. “I was imagining all the pain that he was passed through and all that stuff. I imagine it’s just to be there for five hours and hold all the pain. I don’t think my dad deserved all that.”
Gowan Milling LLC issued a statement on the incident and said, “We immediately enacted our emergency response protocol upon learning of this employee’s injury, including calling emergency medical professionals and other first responders.”
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our employee, and our thoughts and most sincere sympathies are extended to his family at this time. The safety of our employees is our first priority, and we are conducting an investigation into this incident,” the statement continued. “We also are continuing to cooperate with local law enforcement and regulatory agencies.”
The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office said the incident is under investigation. The Industrial Commission of Arizona said the investigation could take about four to five months.
Omar remembered his dad as “always trying to help.”
“Anything that we had the problems, he was there,” Omar said. “And he always have an answer for me. Now that he’s not here, it’s like, I don’t know. It’s like, ‘cause it was just me, my sister and him.”
A GoFundMe page was created to assist with the family’s unexpected medical and funeral costs.
“Jose was a joyful, loving man who brought people together. He loved life, music, dancing, soccer, and above all, his family,” the page description read. “He leaves behind his devoted wife Lupe and two children, Omar and Allison, whom he loved tremendously.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
PEOPLE reached out to the Industrial Commission of Arizona, Gowan Milling LLC and Rural Metro Fire for comment.
Read the full article here
