MILWAUKEE - A Palermo's Pizza employee died in an accident at its West Milwaukee facility on Wednesday, Sept. 17, company officials confirmed.
Accident involving Palermo's employee
What we know:
The West Milwaukee Police Department said it happened around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Palermo's facility at 38th and Lincoln.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed to FOX6 News that it was dispatched. Officials with the medical examiner's office say Robert Chereone, 45, was working at the pizza manufacturing plant when he was crushed by a robotic machine.
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West Milwaukee police said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was contacted as well.
The incident remains under investigation.
Statements on the incident
What they're saying:
Rebecca Schimke, a spokesperson for Palermo’s Pizza, issued the following statement:
"The tragic accident that took an employees’ life earlier today is a terrible incident that is being fully investigated. We are cooperating with government officials and gathering facts.
"Palermo’s will be supporting the employee’s family and next of kin. We will also be offering counseling and support services to the Palermo’s team during this difficult time."
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Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale released the following statement:
"On behalf of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, I extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of the worker killed in a workplace accident at Palermo’s Pizza today.
A fundamental principle of our union movement has always been that an injury to one is an injury to all. While employees at the Palermo facility are not currently organized in a union, we nonetheless share the pain of a fellow worker losing their life on the job.
This tragic incident underscores the need for everyone involved in our workplaces—workers, employers, relevant government agencies—to work together aggressively to ensure that every person who goes to work to provide for themselves and their family comes home safely at the end of the day."
The Source: Information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office, West Milwaukee Police Department, Wisconsin AFL-CIO and Palermo's Pizza.