Is the Tianzhou factory too slow to release people when a hurricane hits- 4 immigrant employees were swept away, causing outrage in the community

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the small town of Erwin, Tennessee, has been shaken by the tragic loss of six workers from an impacted plastic factory. The hurricane swept through the region, leading to devastating floods that washed away the lives of these employees. Family members have since held prayer vigils in various locations, including churches, high schools, and supermarket parking lots, while helicopters continuously search the hilly areas for the missing workers.

Hurricane Helene has claimed at least 230 lives across six states. In Erwin, which has a population of around 6,000, more than 50 people found themselves stranded on the rooftops of a flooded hospital on September 27, but were eventually rescued by helicopters. The town’s predominantly Latino community has been particularly hard hit, with four of the six workers lost to the flood identified as of Mexican descent.

The state of Tennessee has launched two investigations into Impact Plastics to determine whether adequate safety measures were in place when the hurricane approached. Family members of the deceased workers are struggling to comprehend why their loved ones were unable to evacuate before the floodwaters surged.

Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona, the sister of victim Monica Hernandez, poignantly questioned, “We can’t help but ask why. Why did she go to work that day? Why did she stay at the factory?” On that day, local schools closed, but Impact Plastics remained operational.

Gerald O’Connor, the president of Impact Plastics, responded by stating that no employees were forced to work and that they evacuated at least 45 minutes before the waters inundated the industrial park. In a video statement, he said, “There was ample time to escape,” adding that he was the last to leave the factory, ensuring all employees had safely evacuated. Five workers were eventually rescued by the National Guard’s helicopters.

Survivors have reported that the evacuation efforts were delayed, with some clinging to the back of trucks for six hours while frantically calling 911 and bid farewell to loved ones. Their stories include harrowing accounts of watching co-workers being swept away by the flood.

The emergency relief center has indicated that resources are exceedingly limited, with rescue operations extending over a mile downstream from Unicoi County Hospital. The Nolichucky River surged dramatically from two feet to thirty feet, with water volume reaching 1.4 million gallons per second, approximately double that of Niagara Falls.