Found Deceased SC - Duncan Alexander Burrell-Gordon, Fell Into Shredder at Recycling Plant, Greer

[TootsieFootsie]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article263511648.html

The father of a man who disappeared and is now believed to have died in a shredding machine at a South Carolina recycling business is moving to have his son legally declared dead. The State newspaper reports that Mike Gordon's lawyer has filed a petition in Spartanburg County Probate Court that would allow a death certificate to be issued for his son, Duncan Alexander Burrell Gordon.

 

[Shamrock1]

What happened to the man who allegedly fell into a shredder?

What happened to Duncan Alexander “Alex” Burrell Gordon, the South Carolina man who allegedly fell into a shredder at a recycling plant?

www.newsnationnow.com

 

[#JUSTICE4WILDER]

What happened to the man who allegedly fell into a shredder?

What happened to Duncan Alexander “Alex” Burrell Gordon, the South Carolina man who allegedly fell into a shredder at a recycling plant?

www.newsnationnow.com

Thank you for sharing this link. This is the most in depth reporting I've seen. I wasn't sure what I believed had happened before reading this but with the coroner's statements I do believe that the young man is no longer alive and not a missing person. Tragic
Condolences to the family.

 

[bombardier]

What happened to the man who allegedly fell into a shredder?

What happened to Duncan Alexander “Alex” Burrell Gordon, the South Carolina man who allegedly fell into a shredder at a recycling plant?

www.newsnationnow.com

“It looks like a cat,” one employee recalled someone saying at the time.
In the past, animals like possums, cats, rats and snakes had occasionally made a home in the recycling material. They would sometimes get run through the shredder by accident, resulting in something that looked like the strange material they were looking at then."
Hello?? What kind of business is being run here where people are allowed to operate large equipment by themselves and small animals routinely get shredded?
Also, there were definitely signs that something was off. Alex was sent to work the shredder, which then clogged up, TWICE, and when they checked, they found the "cat like" material on the conveyor. They stopped the shredder but decided everything was ok, and turned it back on, despite it being known at this time that Alex was missing. Where they genuinely nonplussed? Or were they scared of the repercussions of turning off the machine for longer and wasting time -> losing money?

 

[Shamrock1]

“It looks like a cat,” one employee recalled someone saying at the time.
In the past, animals like possums, cats, rats and snakes had occasionally made a home in the recycling material. They would sometimes get run through the shredder by accident, resulting in something that looked like the strange material they were looking at then."
Hello?? What kind of business is being run here where people are allowed to operate large equipment by themselves and small animals routinely get shredded?
Also, there were definitely signs that something was off. Alex was sent to work the shredder, which then clogged up, TWICE, and when they checked, they found the "cat like" material on the conveyor. They stopped the shredder but decided everything was ok, and turned it back on, despite it being known at this time that Alex was missing. Where they genuinely nonplussed? Or were they scared of the repercussions of turning off the machine for longer and wasting time -> losing money?

Unfortunately, it’s not *that* uncommon for workers to fall/get pulled into a large machine, such as a shredder or industrial mixer. Obviously a host of OSHA violations. You can search accidents 2017-present here: https://www.osha.gov/fatalities

As for the small animals, my semi-educated guess (my experience is largely with industrial mixers and vats, not shredders) is that it is more efficient to clear the occasional clog as opposed to prophylactically picking through tons of materials in search of a small creature hiding in an empty cereal box.

 

[cocomod]

Unfortunately, it’s not *that* uncommon for workers to fall/get pulled into a large machine, such as a shredder or industrial mixer. Obviously a host of OSHA violations. You can search accidents 2017-present here: https://www.osha.gov/fatalities

As for the small animals, my semi-educated guess (my experience is largely with industrial mixers and vats, not shredders) is that it is more efficient to clear the occasional clog as opposed to prophylactically picking through tons of materials in search of a small creature hiding in an empty cereal box.

While I agree to an extent it is not efficient to look for small animals, a live person who worked at the top of the machine was noticed to be missing. A bit more time and effort at this juncture would have been prudent.

 

[annpats]

As for the small animals, my semi-educated guess (my experience is largely with industrial mixers and vats, not shredders) is that it is more efficient to clear the occasional clog as opposed to prophylactically picking through tons of materials in search of a small creature hiding in an empty cereal box.

I think having proper and functional vermin control in place would be a good start.

No animals shredded is a good start.
No humans shredded is even better.

But some companies don't mind either.....

 

[Kudzuu]

They fired his Dad? This company has no soul.

 

[annpats]

They fired his Dad? This company has no soul.

Oh my! Did they?! U.S. employment rights are medieval and none existent.

Was his Dad making too much 'noise' regarding his son's death?

 

[cocomod]

Oh my! Did they?! U.S. employment rights are medieval and none existent.

Was his Dad making too much 'noise' regarding his son's death?

Yes, according to the articles, he was terminated because he reached out to the press trying to get anyone to listen and respond.

 

[KBlackRabbit]

Yes, according to the articles, he was terminated because he reached out to the press trying to get anyone to listen and respond.

I hope he sues them into the ground.

 

[Valiant]

Yes, according to the articles, he was terminated because he reached out to the press trying to get anyone to listen and respond.

Is there an article with this information? I searched and haven't ran across an article stating why the father as terminated.

 

[Shamrock1]

The general rule of American employment is that most discrimination is perfectly legal and you can be fired for any reason (or none at all), provided that reason doesn’t fall into a protected category. Being the father of a dead son isn’t a protected category, nor is criticizing the company to the press.* However, OSHA has a number of provisions addressing whistleblowers, and there is now an investigation. Federal agency now investigating Greer man's disappearance

Not all shredder-involved fatalities result in an OSHA citation, but many do. https://www.osha.gov/fatalities

*This is a private employer - there’s no First Amendment issue. Home - Industrial Recovery & Recycling, Inc

 

[JurassicParker]

That company deserves to lose everything. I'd hate for the other people there to lose their jobs but SERIOUSLY? This whole situation does not make this business look even a little good. I hope the family does sue. I'd find every thing possible to sue them for. Surely one will stick. They lost their child in a horribly violent way. The company just brushed it under the rug and when the family spoke out because nothing was being done the father was fired? Nope. My heart goes out to them.

 

[kccorona]

Is there an article with this information? I searched and haven't ran across an article stating why the father as terminated.

“On May 9, Michael Gordon tried again to have authorities inspect the remains, despite being put on leave after his son’s disappearance and then later fired by the plant.”

ETA: “Michael Gordon said he was put on leave after his son’s disappearance and then fired from the recycling plant about a week later for allegedly speaking publicly about the accident. He has two other sons still employed at the plant.”

What happened to the man who allegedly fell into a shredder?

 

[wendybtn]

But the Dad was the night shift supervisor the night his son went missing. He didn't stop the machine or call LE or get in touch with OSHA. To me, the first responsibility would be the senior employee on duty. Unfortunately, that was his dad.

 

[wendybtn]

Is there an article with this information? I searched and haven't ran across an article stating why the father as terminated.

He was also the supervisor on duty the night his son disappeared.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

But the Dad was the night shift supervisor the night his son went missing. He didn't stop the machine or call LE or get in touch with OSHA. To me, the first responsibility would be the senior employee on duty. Unfortunately, that was his dad.

I think that when family is involved, there should also be an independent decision maker helping to control decisions re possible plant accidents. Dad may have felt that the possibility of his son falling into a shredder was very low. And quite possibly, Dad felt that he would be humiliated and in trouble if he stopped production (costing money) and his son was found safe. Perhaps he also didn't want his son to be in trouble if he was reported missing for any amount of time. These thoughts may have clouded his judgment. Just MO.
I can't imagine the heartbreaking guilt his dad must feel.

 

[DFWNF]

Oh so so very sad. Terrible for his family, loved ones and friends. I can't wrap my head around what must have happened?

 

[Valiant]

So I kind of wonder if there was a justifiable reason the father was fired as the explanation above appears speculative. If the father felt he was fired unjustly, there would be lawyers lining up for both the loss of life case and the loss of employment case.

Perhaps there were safety protocols in place that were not being followed? No matter what it is a tragedy.