Man Killed in Freak Ice Machine Accident at Sausage Factory
A 39-year-old father was fatally injured when he became trapped in an ice-crushing machine at a Brazilian food production facility.
A man working at a sausage factory in Brazil died after being caught in an ice-crushing machine, according to reports. Diego Fernando Gonzaga, 39, was on the morning shift at HG Foods in Santa Luzia on Monday when he fell into the machine and became trapped.
Rescuers attempted to free Gonzaga, but his legs became stuck, and he went into cardiac arrest while trapped. Fire officials used hydraulic equipment and cutting tools to try and dismantle parts of the machine, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Gonzaga, a father of a 19-year-old daughter and a longtime food industry worker, was reportedly conscious and speaking to colleagues as he awaited rescue. He had been covering an early morning shift for a co-worker when the accident occurred.
His mother, Maria de Fatima, expressed her devastation. "My heart is shattered," she said. "You receive the news that your child leaves home alive and healthy to go to work, and then you find out he is gone. It is very sad."
Gonzaga was described by his cousin, Mariana Alberto, as cheerful and someone who loved to live life to the fullest. "He was very cheerful and was always singing and dancing. He wanted to live—to live life to the fullest and be happy," Alberto told g1.globo.com.
The logistics of the accident were not immediately clear, and representatives from HG Foods did not respond to requests for comment.