Worker Dies in Lime Powder Storage Silo

A 60-year-old worker died Sunday evening at the Anchor Glass plant in Elmira Heights, NY after they accessed a silo and became trapped by lime powder, according to the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were called to the facility at 6 p.m. and joined several fire departments at the scene. Officials determined that Guy L. Peck was working in Anchor Glass’ “batch house” when a problem occurred in a manufacturing holding silo.

“Peck entered the interior of the silo tank and became trapped in lime powder that was being held inside the silo,” the sheriff’s office said in a release posted to its Facebook page. “Plant workers and members of multiple fire departments responded to the scene, however were unsuccessful in their attempts to rescue him from the silo.”

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation into the incident is underway. The Sheriff’s office said it is working with the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

“Based on the preliminary sheriff’s investigation the incident is deemed a workplace fatality and not a criminal matter,” the release said.

Anchor Glass’ Elmira Heights location is one of six glass manufacturing facilities operated by the company, information on the firm’s website states.