A man working at East Penn Manufacturing’s smelter facility in Berks County, US, has died after falling into a lead refining furnace.
The 30-year-old employee of East Penn Manufacturing died when he fell into a refining kettle at the company’s Lyon Station plant on 6 March, according to the Berks County coroner.
Emergency responders attended the scene around 11:30pm and immediately confirmed John Michael Evanoff of Shillington had died at the scene.
Coroner John Hollenbach said last Monday it took nearly all day for the smelter to cool down before the body could be safely removed on Sunday evening, the state’s Morning Call newspaper reported.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)has begun an investigation.
East Penn Manufacturing said in a statement that it was working closely with OSHA and local authorities on an investigation into the cause of the accident.
The statement read: “We are deeply saddened to report a tragic accident that resulted in the death of an employee of East Penn Manufacturing. The incident occurred on Saturday night, March 6, 2021, at the smelter facility on our Lyon station campus.
“Our deepest condolences and sympathies go to the family, friends, and loved ones. Our hearts are tremendously grieved by this tragic and terrible loss.”
