The tornado killed eight people at a U.S. factory, and workers said the factory had threatened to fire if they left their jobs

The Paper's reporter Wang Zhuoyi

On December 12, 2021, local time, in Mayfield, Kentucky, the United States, a candle factory was invaded by a tornado, causing 8 deaths. Surging image

Eight people died at a candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, during a tornado that struck several states in the central United States in recent days. Some workers at the factory said that when the wind disaster came, the factory threatened that workers could be fired if they left their jobs early.

On December 14, local time, Kentucky Gov. Andy Behir said that Kentucky prosecutors will investigate the candle factory.

Workers: "If you leave your job, you will be fired"

The candle factory, called Mayfield Consumer Goods, is the third-largest employer in western Kentucky and produces candles sold throughout the United States. With Christmas approaching, the plant was working overtime at the time.

In an interview with NBC, five candle factory workers said wind-damaged plant managers threatened employees who wanted to leave.

According to NBC local time reported on December 14, when the tornado alarm was first heard on December 10, workers hid in washrooms and corridors, and factory managers who mistakenly thought the danger had been lifted then ordered them to return to work.

McKayla Emery, 21, said in an interview from her hospital bed that workers first asked to leave the factory after a tornado alarm sounded outside the factory at around 5.30 p.m.

Emery said he overheard a manager say to four workers who wanted to leave, "If you leave, you will probably be fired." ”

Another worker, Haley Condor, 29, said the factory was supposed to allow workers to go home between the first and second alarms for 3 to 4 hours. At about 9 p.m. on December 10, when the alarm sounded for the second time, Condor and other employees again asked the three managers if they could leave their posts, but the managers still did not let the workers leave their posts. Condor also said 15 people wanted to leave work early.

Elijah Johnson, a 20-year-old employee who also works at the candle factory, said managers even roll called names at the time to determine if any employees had left their jobs. And he himself got the response that "if you leave your post, you will be fired".

"The weather is already like this, are you still going to fire me?" According to Johnson, one manager's response was "yes."

Factory: Comply with relevant regulations

The candle factory has denied the allegations. Candle factory spokesman Bob Ferguson denied on the 13th that any workers had been threatened, claiming that the allegations were "completely untrue." "Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have put in place policies." Ferguson said, "Employees can leave their jobs at any time they want to leave and come back the next day." He also said the company's management follows regulations from the U.S. Federal Emergency Measures Agency (FEMA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to respond to emergencies.

According to NBC reported on December 15, Behir said at a press conference on the 14th that the investigation "should not imply that there is any misconduct", but the state prosecutors will still "pursue the matter to the end". The timing of the investigation is unclear. Behir said everyone should meet "certain standards of law, security and decency."

Factory spokesman Ferguson responded on the 14th that the government's investigation was "completely appropriate." He also said a state official had arrived at the factory that day.

Previously, the outside world had worried that the death toll of the candle factory would be much higher than the 8 people currently announced, but Ferguson said on the 13th that the other 102 workers who were on duty at the time of the tornado were still alive and had found their whereabouts.

Responsible Editor: Yan Songyang Photo Editor: Le Yufeng

Proofreader: Yijia Xu