According to Fox News, Jose Melena (age 62), was “performing maintenance” on the oven while being inside it. At that moment the company’s worker had no idea the Melena was in there. Apparently, the worker thought that Jose Melena went to the restroom and without any hesitation began doing his job. He filled the oven with 12,000 pounds of tuna and turned it on. After the company noticed that Melena was missing, a search for him opened up. The workers looked everywhere, but could not find him. Little did anyone suspect that inside that oven was a living soul.
Two hours after the disappearance, the oven was unlocked. With shock, the workers discovered that they had cooked the man alive. His body was found in the tuna, that had been cooking under 270 degrees. Jose Melena had tragically died. But this was no accident. The company was soon sued along with its two owners. According to Fox News, after the police and health inspectors arrived they found countless of health violations. These violations were responsible for the man’s death. The lack of communication between the company’s workers along with its operating system provided many dangerous possibilities. According to health inspectors, another exit within the oven should have been provided in case of an emergency such as the one that happened. And even though the company did provide a warning over the intercom about a missing man, all activity should have been immediately halted. Machines such as the oven were supposed to be turned off, but weren't. Such reckless mistakes contributed to Jose Melena’s death. And we can only hope that he had not suffered agonizing pain.
With that said, Bumble Bee Foods was fined with $1.5 million and its two owners with $250,000; plus a three year sentence in prison. The men have publicly expressed their grief over Melena, but refuse to admit their fault. As for the rest of us, this is a lesson to carry out all of our actions more thoroughly. Nothing is accident free, but there are certain things that can help prevent them from happening. Jose Melena died, fulfilling his duties. He is a symbol of a victim to human carelessness. This incident may not be of a common occurrence, but it is terrible enough to remind us about caution. So next time as you sneer at the “Caution: Wet Floor” sign, remember Melena and appreciate the safety provided for you. Let this man’s story serve as a reminder to all of us. And may his soul forever rest in peace.
By: Ekaterina Z.
Edited by: Rohit M.