Two workers at a plastics factory in Erwin, Tennessee, United States, are confirmed dead after floodwaters swept away 11 employees during Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact.
The disaster struck Friday, and as of Tuesday, four workers remained missing.
The floodwaters engulfed the area around Impact Plastics, with videos showing the Nolichucky River overflowing onto the highway near the factory, Associated Press reports.
Jacob Ingram, a mold changer at the factory, filmed himself and four others waiting for rescue on a floating vehicle. He later shared the video, saying, “Just wanna say im lucky to be alive.”
Helicopter rescues of the stranded workers were posted on social media. Ingram, who had criticized the company’s delay in evacuating, said, “They should’ve evacuated when we got the flash flood warnings, and when they saw the parking lot.”
Impact Plastics released a statement claiming they “continued to monitor weather conditions” and dismissed workers when water began to rise.
However, Ingram and Robert Jarvis, another survivor, disputed this. “The water was coming up,” Jarvis said. “A guy in a 4×4 came, picked a bunch of us up and saved our lives, or we’d have been dead, too.”
The company expressed devastation over the tragedy. “We are devastated by the tragic loss of great employees,” said Gerald O’Connor, founder of Impact Plastics. “Those who are missing or deceased, and their families are in our thoughts and prayers.”
The two confirmed dead were identified as Mexican citizens. Lisa Sherman-Nikolaus, executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, stated that their families have started fundraisers to cover funeral expenses.
The death toll from Hurricane Helene continues to rise across multiple states as search efforts persist, and survivors in the region face hardships, including lack of running water, electricity, and food.
Saharareporters
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