Autopsy: Man crushed to death inside Chattanooga candy factory

A 54-year-old man died on the job Tuesday at Chattanooga's Wrigley Manufacturing plant. This is the second employee death at this plant in the last 16 months.
A 54-year-old man died on the job Tuesday at Chattanooga's Wrigley Manufacturing plant. This is the second employee death at this plant in the last 16 months.
photo A 54-year-old man died on the job Tuesday at Chattanooga's Wrigley Manufacturing plant. This is the second employee death at this plant in the last 16 months.

The 54-year-old man who died while working at Chattanooga's Wrigley Manufacturing plant in February was crushed to death in a piece of machinery, according to an autopsy done by the Hamilton County Medical Examiner's Office.

Wallace Scarbro became trapped in a destacker machine at the plant just after midnight on Feb. 3, according to the autopsy. Such machines often are used to unpack piles of crates or pallets.

Scarbro died from blunt-force trauma to his trunk due to compression, according to the autopsy. The machine left a long, linear cut across his torso and thigh.

A spokeswoman for Wrigley declined to specify what type of destacker machine the company uses, but said that all the candy-maker's manufacturing equipment meets third-party safety standards.

"This tragedy continues to be difficult for Wallace's family and our associates, and we feel it is insensitive for us to comment on any specific details of Wallace's death," she said in an email.

The Tunnel Hill, Ga., man was a husband and father of six, according to his obituary.

Officials from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the circumstances around Scarbro's death. The autopsy found no evidence of foul play and concluded the death was accidental.

But this is the second time TOSHA has investigated a death at the Chattanooga candy factory in the last two years. In 2013, 34-year-old Mandie Rachael Creel Chitwood was knocked off a ladder and fatally injured while working in Wrigley's Life Saver Gummie department.

TOSHA investigators concluded that the company was at fault in her death and fined Wrigley $8,575 after finding two serious and seven non-serious violations at the plant.

Wrigley makes Life Savers and Altoids at the plant at 3002 Jersey Pike. About 275 full-time employees work at the plant.

Scarbro worked at the company for about 18 months before he died.

Contact staff reporter Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas.

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