SANGER, Calif. — A woman died Friday morning after her clothing became entangled in raisin-processing equipment while she worked, California authorities confirmed.
Yaneth Lopez Valladares, 33, was removing debris from the packing house machinery when officials believe her loose clothing became caught in the equipment, KABC-TV reported.
The workplace accident occurred around 11 a.m. at the Del Rey Packing Company Dehydrator in Sanger, The Fresno Bee reported.
Although co-workers nearby noticed Valladares’ distress, immediately shut down the machinery and called 911, she was no longer breathing when first responders arrived, KABC-TV reported.
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which is investigating the incident expected to take months to complete, issued the following statement:
“An employee working for a farm labor contractor named Blessed Harvest was working on a Stem Grading Line when their clothing got caught on a shaft to a cylinder that breaks up raisin bunches, causing the employee to strike their head.”
According to The Fresno Bee, this was Valladares’ second season working at the facility, which remains closed.