Worker dies after falling into sugar vat at factory in California
A man died after falling dozens of metres down into a sugar silo in California.
The South San Joaquin County Fire Authority responded last Saturday to the report of a person who had fallen into a large silo at the Holly Sugar plant in Tracy, about 100km south of Sacramento.
When firefighters arrived, they found a worker had fallen about 25 metres into machinery near the bottom of the silo.
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A man died after falling dozens of metres down into a sugar silo in California. (South San Joaquin County Fire Authority) Supplied
The worker died after the incident.
A firefighter was lowered into the silo after crews set up a rescue rope system to retrieve the body.
It took 16 firefighters about an hour to complete the operation.
South County Fire Chief Randall Bradley said: "This was an extremely challenging operation that our crews handled safely with the required precision needed for this type of incident."
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Firefighters in California deployed a rescue rope to retrieve the body of a worker who fell into a sugar vat. (South San Joaquin County Fire Authority) Supplied
According to the San Joaquin County Coroner's Office, the worker has been identified as 53-year-old Elk Grove resident Dean Melavic.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
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