The family of a Tennessee factory worker who lost his life during Hurricane Helene is filing a lawsuit against the company and its CEO. They allege that while the bosses managed to leave the factory to avoid the severe weather conditions, they instructed the employees to stay behind.
Johnny Peterson, aged 55, tragically lost his life in the devastating floods that struck the Impact Plastics factory in the quiet town of Erwin on September 27th.
Alongside another colleague, Johnny was one of two workers who perished in the floodwaters. Reports state that out of the 11 employees who were swept away, five were fortunate enough to be rescued, while four others are still missing, leaving their fate unknown.
In a bombshell lawsuit filed by Peterson’s family on Monday in Tennessee state court, it is alleged that the managers of the facility disregarded the desperate pleas of employees to be allowed to leave work as the hurricane approached the area.
Workers received notifications from the National Weather Service around 10 a.m. urging them to evacuate to higher ground, according to the lawsuit. However, many workers chose to stay at their current location despite the warnings.
According to the lawsuit, the managers of the company instructed employees to relocate their vehicles due to the flooding in the parking lot at around 10:30 a.m.
At 11:35 a.m., senior management, including Impact Plastics founder and CEO Gerald O’Connor, had discreetly left the building, as stated in court papers.
According to the lawsuit, workers were under the impression that they would be allowed to go home, just like local schools and other businesses that announced closures due to Hurricane Helene.
Instead, court documents reveal that Impact Plastics allegedly instructed its employees to report to work, as the company was determined to meet order deadlines.
Managers sent workers home only after the plant’s parking lot was flooded and the power went out, according to the lawsuit.
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In the lawsuit, Peterson’s final moments are described in a heartbreaking manner. It includes text messages exchanged with his family, which reveal his deep fears of being unable to survive the floodwaters.
According to the lawsuit, Peterson, who had initially gone outside, returned to the building to assist employees who were unable to escape. However, he ended up getting trapped himself when the rising water made it impossible for him to leave by car.
Peterson successfully made his way onto the bed of a semi-trailer in an attempt to flee the area.
According to the lawsuit, Johnny was aware that he wouldn’t be able to survive for much longer as the water levels kept rising and relentlessly crashing against the semi-trailer.
At 1:17 p.m., he managed to type out his last message to his daughter, expressing his love for her with multiple “l”s. This heartfelt text was the final communication Alexa Peterson received from her father.
According to the AP, Hurricane Helene has resulted in nearly 250 fatalities across six states due to the raging waters it caused.
According to the 28-page lawsuit, Impact Plastics failed to have a necessary evacuation plan for its employees, despite the fact that the plant was situated in a flood plain and often faced water encroaching into its parking lot.
Zack Lawson, the family’s attorney, expressed his belief that this tragedy could have been prevented based on the information they have gathered. He stated this in a statement to Knox News, taking into account accounts from surviving employees.
“Impact Plastics had knowledge of the potential risks of flooding, and despite employees requesting permission to evacuate, the company neglected to take action. It is imperative that they are held responsible for their actions.”
