An East Tennessee plastics plant is facing scrutiny after workers claimed they were forced to stay during Hurricane Helene, which led to the deaths of three employees. The company, Impact Plastics, conducted its own internal review and found the allegations to be false. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and TOSHA are investigating the incident to determine if the management kept workers at the plant during the flood.
Impact Plastics’ President and CEO, Gerald O’Connor, stated that employees were given time to evacuate the plant before the floodwaters hit. The company denies claims that workers were not allowed to leave the facility and will cooperate with the state investigations. O’Connor expressed his condolences for the employees who were lost in the tragedy.
The preliminary review by Impact Plastics indicates that the plant was shut down quickly after a power outage and employees were directed to leave the property. The company claims that the road in front of the plant appeared to be passable when employees were dismissed. The TBI is investigating 27 leads regarding missing persons, while the death toll from the flooding remains at 11.
President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for several counties affected by the flooding, allowing survivors to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance. Drinking water facilities and wastewater plants in the area are still facing operational problems due to the flooding. The state is also dealing with power outages as a result of the severe weather.
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