Young father dies after falling into tire shredder at Texas recycling plant
SHELDON, Texas -- A federal investigation is underway into a young father's tragic death while on the job at a Texas tire recycling plant.
Byron Jones, 26, died Friday as a result of a gruesome industrial accident at Genan, Inc., in the Sheldon area of northeast Harris County.
According to Andrew Seerden, who represents Jones' family, he was "tragically killed in a tire shredder."
Sources tell Eyewitness News he got caught in the machine and couldn't get free. Co-workers reported Jones missing before the company realized what had happened.
Investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were at the plant over the weekend. They say they have launched an investigation. The Harris County Sheriff's Office is also investigating.
On Tuesday, experts, investigators and the family's attorney were at the plant on Beaumont Highway.
"We are currently investigating the incident and expect to file a lawsuit in order to hold all negligent and grossly negligent parties fully accountable for this tragedy," Seerden told Eyewitness News.
Attorney Paul Francis, who represents Genan, Inc. responded, "The company has no comment at this time."
On its website, Genan, with plants in Germany and Denmark, says the Houston-area plant is the largest tire recycling plant in the world. It opened in 2014 and, according to online OSHA records, has never had an accident before.
Genan has one complaint in the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) database for "failure to maintain 40 feet of space around outdoor piles." It appears someone complained in summer 2015 that they had too many tires there.
Seerden says the Jones family is distraught. The slain worker leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter.
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