UPDATE: Man dies in industrial accident at VIM Recycling

By TOM MOOR, Tribune Staff Writer

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UPDATE: Man dies in industrial accident at VIM Recycling

By WSBT News1

Story Created: May 6, 2009 at 9:46 AM EST

Story Updated: May 6, 2009 at 2:50 PM EST

ELKHART — A man died Wednesday morning in an industrial accident at VIM Recycling Inc., police confirmed, the latest in a long line of problems at the plant on Old U.S. 33.

The victim, 40-year-old Jose Luis of Elkhart, had worked at the plant for 15 months as a laborer. He leaves behind a wife and three daughters.

It appears Luis was hit by a front-end loader, Capt. Sean Holmes of the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department said. He died before emergency personnel arrived.

VIM spokesman Tom Holt said the plant’s owner, Kenneth Will, will make a statement Wednesday.

Holmes said Luis was working at the back of the plant about 9:40 a.m. near large piles of wood chips when he was struck by the front-end loader.

This isn’t the first time a person has died at the plant. VIM first came to public light after an explosion in June 2007 that killed one man and seriously injured another.

Most recently, a neighborhood group near VIM Recycling filed a notice of intent to sue in federal court for alleged violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

The lawsuit specifically targets what it calls VIM’s open dumping and handling of solid waste in ways that present a danger to people.

Continue to check WSBT.com, www.southbendtribune.com and read Thursday’s South Bend Tribune for updates on this story.

Staff writer Tom Moor: tmoor@sbtinfo.com
(574) 247-7756

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