This week, two bodies were discovered at a Northrup Grumman plant in Utah, with few details about the tragedy being revealed. KUTV-TV in Utah asserts that the victims were “killed,” but provides no proof to support this accusation.
Roxanne Vainuku, a spokesperson of the West Valley City Police Department, stated that just after 6 p.m. on Monday, officers were summoned to the company’s building in Magna, some 12 miles west of Salt Lake City. According to KSL-TV, Vainuku also indicated that two employees were discovered unconscious, but did not provide any other details beyond the fact that the “victims” were treated by fire department crews before being transported to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
“Fire Department crews attempted life saving measures and transported the two employees to the hospital where they were ultimately pronounced deceased,” Vainuku said.
“The Occupational Health and Safety Administration will conduct an investigation into this incident. West Valley City Police will coordinate with OSHA on the investigation,” she added.
After autopsies are completed, the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office will be able to confirm whether or not the two perished in a hazmat condition, according to the police. The victims’ identities remain unknown.
According to a Newsweek piece, a Northrop Grumman official withheld information.
“We can confirm that two employees passed away at the Bacchus facility on January 30. We are deeply saddened by this news,” the representative said.
“The Northrop Grumman team all shares in this grief. Out of respect for the privacy of the employees and the families, we are not releasing any further details,” the representative said.
The company’s statement gave little details about the events that transpired.
“Family members have been notified, and we will be working with our employee assistance program for support and family services,” the statement said.
“Our employees are our most valued part of our business and this is a tragedy that affects our entire workforce,” the statement said.
Eric Olsen, from Utah Occupational Safety and Health, told KUTV-TV that the investigation into the event will be limited to certain aspects.
“It is important to note that we do not investigate the accident or fatality itself but rather, we investigate whether there were any violations of adopted safety and health standards. If violations are found then citations may follow. Timing on investigations varies but by statute we have up to 180 days to complete an investigation,” he said.
More on this story via The Republic Brief:
Olsen stated that he was unable to provide any commentary on the particular situation.
Northrup Grumman is a leading defense and aerospace contractor with 90,000 employees nationwide. They are currently the prime contractor on the B-21 bomber, an advanced long-range, stealth bomber that has been widely heralded as the Air Force’s next generation of bombers. The B-21 bomber promises to be a powerful asset to the Air Force and is an example of the cutting-edge technology Northrup Grumman is developing. CONTINUE READING…