Photo: Mercedes RancaĂąo Otero / iStock / Getty Images
A tragic incident occurred at the Gilster Marylee Cereal Plant in Perryville, Missouri, where a factory worker was found dead inside an industrial oven on Thursday (June 26). The victim, identified as 38-year-old Nicolas Lopez Gomez, was working under the alias Edward Avila, according to the Perryville Police Department.
The oven was not operational at the time of the incident, and Gomez was reportedly using a power washer on the machine from the outside. It remains unclear how he ended up inside the oven. Emergency personnel, including officers, paramedics, and firefighters, responded to the scene, but Gomez was declared dead upon their arrival.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into the accident to determine how it occurred. Perry County Coroner Meghan Ellis stated that their office would collaborate with OSHA to uncover the circumstances leading to Gomez's death. No foul play is suspected at this time.
Gomez was a Guatemalan national, and his death highlights concerns about workplace safety and the use of fake identities for employment. The Gilster Marylee Corporation, which operates 11 locations across the Midwest, has yet to comment on the incident.