Worker dies in waste grinder at meat plant

Associated Press

CANTON

A worker caught in a machine at a meat processing plant in Ohio has died, authorities said Sunday.

The Repository of Canton reports the Stark County Coroner’s Office has identified the worker killed Saturday afternoon at the Fresh Mark plant in Canton as 62-year-old Samuel Martinez.

Authorities say the Guatemalan national died at the scene.

A coroner’s investigator said the Canton resident stepped into a chute and got caught in a waste grinder.

Fresh Mark said in a statement Saturday that company officials are working with authorities to determine what happened.

Fresh Mark’s statement said, “This afternoon just before 5 p.m., we experienced a work-related fatality at our Canton facility. Our primary concern rests with the well-being of this employee’s family, as well as with the safety and wellbeing of all our employees in the Canton and other Fresh Mark facilities.

A worker at the plant was electrocuted in 2011 when he tried to plug in a fan while standing in water.

Fresh Mark sells ham, bacon, hot dogs and lunch meat. They are packaged under the brand names of Superior’s and Sugardale.

brands.