At 12:45 a.m. on December 28, 2019, Employee #1 entered a tanker truck that last held Vinyl Acetate Polymer Residue, a hazardous waste material, and became unresponsive while in the tanker. Employee #2 and Employee #3 entered the tank to rescue Employee #1 and also became unresponsive. Employee #4 entered the tank and was able to rescue Employee #2 but exhibited symptoms of chemical exposure. Emergency Services responded and pronounced Employee #1 and Employee #3 dead due to asphyxiation. Five other employees that were involved in rescue attempts were hospitalized due to chemical exposure symptoms.
