Ohio Metal Plant Worker Dies After Falling Into a Chemical Vat of Acid
An Ohio man is dead after he was found inside a chemical tank at a metal plant.
Dana Swisher, 60, died after falling into a vat of liquid at Techmetals, Inc. in Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday, according to WDTN.
The incident occurred before 8:50 a.m. when officers were called to the factory for a possible drowning, Dayton Police Sergeant Kyle B. Thomas told WKEF. Authorities arrived to the scene to find workers performing CPR on Swisher, who fire officials said was discovered in a tank containing liquid chromic acid.
A spokesperson for Techmetals, Inc. could not specify to PEOPLE the substance inside the tank pending an investigation, but did confirm that the incident “occurred in an area that processed parts are sprayed-off with water.”
Swisher was found in a tight space of the 4-foot-deep tank, according to a 911 call obtained by WHIO, which made it difficult for plant employees to rescue the worker. He died shortly after authorities arrived on scene.
“Some of his co-workers pulled from the situation that he was in and were working on him,” Dayton Fire Department District Chief Mike Fasnacht told the news outlet. “That would be traumatic to anyone in any line of work.”
Hazmat teams and the Dayton Fire Department decontaminated the employees who pulled Swisher from the vat, according to authorities. No other injuries were reported.
“We don’t know what the cause of the event was,” Fasnacht said. “I don’t know that this was an industrial accident or medical emergency.”
A Techmetals, Inc. spokesperson told PEOPLE that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration “came on-site and did not stop the resumption of operations” following the incident.
“Due to the nature and complexity of the Industry, we invest and practice heavily in safety and environment standards,” the representative said in a statement. “Once we get more answers, Techmetals will communicate what we learn. Until then, all we have is the opportunity to support one another during this emotional and somber time. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones.”
Swisher was a 39-year plating veteran at the processing plant, the spokesperson told PEOPLE.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office ruled Swisher’s cause of death as an accidental drowning on Wednesday, according to WHIO.
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According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Techmetals, Inc. received a violation in 2017 when an employee was burned by splashing hot water during a tank transfer. The worker was hospitalized and received treatment for his injuries.
Techmetals, Inc. is a non-unionized plant that does electroplating, polishing, anodizing and coloring with chemicals for different industries, according to the OSHA.
