A Georgia woman died last week after she dropped an AirPod under a conveyor and got caught in a chain that moves the machine while reaching for it, authorities said.
According to an incident report obtained by NBC News, a witness told investigators that line worker Alyssa Drinkard, 21, dropped the AirPod below the conveyor while on shift at a plant for Club Car around 9:45 p.m. Friday.
Drinkard's Arm Got Caught in the Conveyor Belt While Retrieving the Dropped AirPod
The company makes golf carts and other vehicles. When she tried to get the earbud from under the machine, she got caught in the chain that moves the conveyor, the witness said, according to the report.
Smith, 25, said Drinkard was working across from Smith when Drinkard said she dropped an AirPod under the conveyor. Smith then looked under the machine and saw the earbud. She recalled telling Drinkard that she would get it for her once it was safe to do so.
The machine caught Drinkard's arm, Smith said, noting that it was bent and there was a significant amount of blood after Drinkard tried to reach for the AirPod from her side of the work station.
Due to the way Drinkard was pinned, the witness — identified as fellow worker Fae'Zsha Smith — "was not able to get her out, so she called for maintenance to come and shut the machine down. They began taking it apart once the machine was down and called 911," the report says.
Emergency personnel freed Drinkard, of Grovetown, "by cutting the metal frame from around the conveyor and pulling her out," the report indicates. Drinkard still had a pulse when she was freed from the machine, and emergency personnel performed life-saving measures on her before she was hospitalized, the incident report said. However, Drinkard succumbed to her injuries.
Club Car Confirmed the Employee's Death
In a statement to The Augusta Press, the company confirmed a worker on Friday night sustained critical injuries at its primary manufacturing facility in Evans before dying.
"First responders were immediately notified, and we thank them for their quick response to provide medical care and transportation to the hospital where the worker unfortunately later passed away," the company said. "Our sincere condolences and thoughts are with the family, friends and all impacted by this loss. We are working with authorities and the contractor in an investigation to determine the facts about what led to the incident."
