The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has initiated an inquiry into a plastic manufacturing facility in Erwin, following reports of several workers being swept away by floodwaters caused by Storm Helene, as reported by the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Workers at Impact Plastics claimed that management prohibited them from evacuating the factory despite warnings, as floodwaters from the Nolichucky River began to fill the premises.

Two female workers, as reported by an immigrant advocacy group representing the families, tragically lost their lives, with at least three others still unaccounted for. The company confirmed the death of one employee but has not released further information.

The News Sentinel, part of the YSL News Network, detailed an incident where a group of employees climbed onto the back of a nearby flatbed semitruck as waters rose to waist height in the Riverview Industrial Park, home to both companies.

As floods surged, the truck was quickly surrounded by water and ultimately overturned. This factory is located approximately one mile north of Unicoi County Hospital, where a dramatic rescue operation took place that same day, saving 62 staff and patients who were stranded on the roof as the river overflowed.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that District Attorney Steve Finney requested a probe into Impact Plastics, but they have withheld details, stating that it pertains to the company.

Finney commented, “I contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation early yesterday morning and requested an examination of the allegations concerning Impact Plastics in Unicoi County, Tennessee. My request specifically focused on the events of Friday, September 27, 2024, to determine if any criminal activity occurred.”

Workers Report Being Trapped

Instead of evacuating, management instructed employees to move their vehicles away from the rising waters. Ingram relocated his car twice as the water levels continued to increase.

“They should have ordered an evacuation when we received flash flood alerts, and after they observed the flooding in the parking lot,” Ingram told Knox News. “When we shifted our cars, we should have evacuated … we asked management about it, but they told us it wasn’t urgent yet.”

“By the time it became a real concern, it was too late, unless you had a four-wheel drive vehicle.”

The company issued a written statement denying the allegations that management compelled anyone to continue working as the water levels rose. The statement emphasized that while most employees left right away, some chose to remain close by. It asserted management and assistants were among the last to leave the facility.

Identifying the Victims

Knox News has verified that at least five employees who were on the truck are now confirmed deceased or reported missing.

One employee, Bertha Mendoza, 56, reportedly fell off the truck and was lost to the flood, said Ingram and a representative from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

Mendoza was separated from her sister as both attempted to stay afloat, as detailed in a GoFundMe campaign set up in her memory. While her body was located on September 29, officials have not publicly identified her.

Monica Hernandez’s death has been confirmed by the immigrant rights coalition, which stated they verified this information through her family, who received the news from the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday. Hernandez has yet to be publicly named by officials.

As of Tuesday, Rosa Maria Andrade Reynoso remained unaccounted for. Her husband, Francesco Guerrero, told Knox News through a translator that he was in contact with her throughout the morning, during which she expressed uncertainty about her ability to escape. She urged him to take care of their children, he reported.

Another missing woman, Lydia Verdugo, has also been identified, although officials have not publicized her name.

(This article has been updated with additional details.)