Wausau Pilot & Review
Police are investigating the death of a 40-year-old man found stuck in an industrial machine Sunday at the paper mill where he worked.
The Portage County Communications Center at about 12:45 p.m. Sunday took a call reporting an employee was in a machine at the Mativ Inc. Paper Mill, 3243 Whiting Road, in the Portage County village of Whiting. Deputies and EMS crews were dispatched to the scene. Lifesaving measures were not successful and the 40-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of family.
Mativ officials released a statement Monday afternoon expressing their condolences.
“We are deeply saddened by yesterday’s death of one of our team members at our Whiting facility,” said Jason Free, Executive Vice President of Operations at Mativ. “We are actively investigating the cause of the incident and are fully cooperating with all authorities. Prioritizing the safety of our employees is our number one goal. We express our sincere condolences to our employee’s family and all others affected by this loss.”
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Plover Fire Department, Plover EMR, Portage County Ambulance, Aspirus MedEvac, Portage County Chaplain Services, and the Portage County Medical Examiner.
The ongoing investigation is being completed by the Portage County Sheriff’s Office along with Mative Inc. Paper Mill. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers must report worker fatalities to the agency within eight hours. OSHA investigates all work-related fatalities in all covered workplaces.
