NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The family of a Tennessee employee who was killed by catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company he worked for, arguing that workers were forced to stay at their posts even when managers knew conditions were becoming dangerous.
Johnny Peterson was among the Impact Plastics employees who died Sept. 27 after Helene’s flooding hit Erwin, a small, rural town in eastern Tennessee. Many of the surviving employees have stated they were not allowed to leave the plant in time to avoid the storm’s impact. Instead, it wasn’t until water had flooded the plant’s parking lot and the power went out that managers sent workers home.
The raging waters swept 11 people away and only five were rescued. Two of them are confirmed dead and are part of a toll across six states that is nearly 250 dead. Four others from the factory are still missing after they were washed away in Erwin, where dozens of people about a mile away were also rescued off the roof of a hospital.
Based on information we’ve uncovered, including accounts from surviving employees, we believe this tragedy could have been avoided,” Alex Little, an attorney representing Peterson’s family, said in a statement. “Impact Plastics was aware of the flood risks, and while employees requested permission to leave, the company failed to act. We will hold them accountable.”
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