Employees at an Impact Plastics factory in Tennessee recount the harrowing experience of being trapped by historic flooding, while the company expresses sympathy and initiates an internal review.
Hurricane Helene's torrential rains unleashed devastating flooding across Tennessee, claiming lives and leaving behind a trail of destruction. Among the hardest-hit areas was an Impact Plastics factory in Erwin, where a tragic incident unfolded on September 27th, 2024.
Impact Plastics Factory Flooding: Employees Recount Horrific Ordeal, Company Responds
As floodwaters surged into the factory's parking lot, employees frantically appealed to supervisors for permission to leave, citing imminent danger. However, they were reportedly instructed to remain on-site. When the plant was forced to close and employees were sent home, tragedy struck.
Caught off guard by the rapidly rising floodwaters, 11 employees were swept away. Only five were rescued alive, while two were confirmed dead. The death toll from the hurricane across multiple states surpassed 150 by Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
Impact Plastics Factory Flooding: Employees Recount Horrific Ordeal, Company Responds
Zinna Adkins, an Impact Plastics employee, vividly recalled the tense moments leading up to the disaster. "We were all telling supervisors that we need to flee the area," she told WJHL. "But they didn't tell us anything about it."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Impact Plastics expressed sympathy for the missing and deceased employees and contractor. The company asserted that employees were not threatened with termination for leaving the facility.
Impact Plastics Factory Flooding: Employees Recount Horrific Ordeal, Company Responds
However, the statement acknowledged that "some remained on or near the premises for unknown reasons." Jacob Ingram, a mold changer at the factory, captured heart-stopping videos of himself and four others stranded, awaiting rescue.
"They should have evacuated when we got the flash flood warnings," Ingram lamented to the Knoxville News Sentinel. "We asked them if we should evacuate, and they told us not yet, it wasn't bad enough."
Impact Plastics Factory Flooding: Employees Recount Horrific Ordeal, Company Responds
Two of the confirmed fatalities at the plant were Mexican citizens, raising concerns about communication issues for non-English speaking employees. The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition reported that victims' families have launched online fundraisers to cover expenses.
Impact Plastics stated that bilingual employees assisted with communication for non-English speaking staffers. The company is conducting an internal review to examine the events of September 27th and will release the findings upon completion.
The tragic incident at the Impact Plastics factory highlights the importance of workplace safety protocols and the need for effective communication during emergencies. As communities across the affected regions continue to grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, questions remain about the circumstances surrounding this devastating event.
