Engineer Crushed to Death by Equipment at Indian Sugar Plant

An engineer was killed Tuesday after falling into a crushing machine conveyor belt at a cooperative sugar mill in Palacode, India, the Times of India reported Wednesday.

The 48-year-old assistant engineer, identified by the Times as T Balu of Tirukkovilur, died after falling into a crushing machine while attempting to remove a stone from a conveyor belt used in the collection of sugar cane juice.

“Balu attempted to remove the stone from the conveyor belt, but lost his balance and fell into the crushing machine,” police in Palacode told the Times. “From the moment he fell on the belt, Balu was pulled into the crushing machine and got crushed along with sugarcanes.”

Employees at the site stopped the machine, but were unsuccessful in attempts to save the man. The Times reported that the engineer’s body parts were removed from the crushing machine and belt by workers.

Police told the newspaper that an initial investigation indicates Balu failed to switch off the conveyor belt and crushing machine prior to his attempt at retrieving the obstruction.

“It seemed that Balu accidently fell on the conveyor belt and got stuck,” the local police told the paper.

Balu had been with the cooperative sugar mill for over 15 years, the Times said.

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