Worker Dies in Blender: Oregon Man Dies After Falling into Meat Blender

A man has died at a Clackamas, Oregon meat distribution plant after he fell into a large meat blender on Saturday. NBCNews.com reported that the man has been identified as Hugo Avalos-Chanon, 41 from Portland.

The incident occurred at Interstate Meat Distributors and police were called to the scene. NBCNews.com reported that there were workers from DCS Sanitation Management at the time who were cleaning the facility when Avalos-Channon fel into the meat blender that was on said Marcus Mendoza of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

"Another worker realized something was wrong and activated an emergency switch which stopped the equipment," Mendoza added to NBCNews.com. "Unfortunately the worker (Chanon) was already deceased."

The Associated Press reported that Avalos-Chanon worked for DCS Sanitation management which has a contract with Interstate Meat Distributors.

The sheriffs department and paramedics were called around 11:45 p.m. on Friday after he was found entangled in the large machine. Firefighters returned the next day to take apart the machine and remove his body from it.

Dr. Cliff Young, a deputy state medical examiner told the AP that Avalos-Chanon died from "blunt-force injuries and chopping wounds."

Investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are looking at evidence and interviewing witnesses as well as reviewing records.

The AP reported that according to an OSHA report from last fall, they found that machines were not locked during the tear-down process for cleaning. The inspector said that injuries could occur if an "unexpected start-up of the machine" happened.

President of Interstate Meat Distributors, Darrin Hoy, said to the AP that the company was cooperating with investigators. He said that the death was "extremely unfortunate."

Oregon OSHA spokeswoman Melanie Mesaros said to The Oregonian that "It's way to early to say" what happened. "We're just starting our investigation, which could take six months."