Ogun: Industrial machine kills employee at Quantum Steel factory

Policeman

Barely two months after the Ogun State Government sealed a factory, Quantum Steel Industry, in the Ogijo area of the state following an explosion that left seven employees critically injured, another employee has lost his life in an industrial accident.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Tuesday that the incident occurred last Monday when the employee, identified as Abayomi, a forklift operator, got stuck in the scrap grinding machine.

A casual worker at the factory, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, disclosed that the machine operator had instructed Abayomi to remove a scrap that was stuck in it without knowing that the machine was still powered.

The worker added that immediately after Abayomi removed the scrap, the machine began working and rolled him like a scrap.

He added that other workers at the scene of the incident rushed to rescue him, but he was brought out dead.

The worker said, “A fellow worker at Quantum Steel Industry was killed by a scrap grinding machine last Monday. He was instructed by the scrap machine operator, who is a foreign national, to enter the machine and remove a scrap that was stuck in it.

“Unfortunately, he did not know that the operator had not switched it off. As soon as he removed the stuck scrap, the machine picked up and rolled him.

When contacted for a reaction on Tuesday, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, did not respond to messages sent to her line as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, a police officer in the area who was privy to the incident but not permitted to speak with the press confirmed the incident to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Tuesday.

“Yes, it happened,” the police source said.