SPRINGFIELD, Sick. (AP) — The household of a supply driver who died final month when a tornado collapsed the central Illinois Amazon facility the place he labored filed a wrongful dying lawsuit Monday in Madison County.
The motion on behalf of Austin McEwen, 26, claims that Amazon did not warn staff of harmful climate or present protected shelter earlier than a twister slammed the Edwardsville facility Dec. 10, killing McEwen and 5 others.
It’s believed to be the primary authorized motion taken in response to the deaths. The Occupational Security and Well being Administration has opened an investigation
McEwen’s mother and father, Randy and Alice McEwen, allege that Amazon directors knew extreme climate was imminent however had no emergency plan nor evacuated staff from the success middle.
“Sadly, it appears that Amazon placed profits first during this holiday season instead of the safety of our son and the other five,” Alice McEwen stated at a information convention Monday.
Amazon “carelessly required individuals … to continue working up until the moments before the tornado struck,” the lawsuit says, and “improperly directed” McEwen and colleagues to shelter in a bathroom, which it says the corporate knew or ought to have recognized wasn’t protected.
“They had people working up to the point of no return,” stated Jack Casciato, the McEwens’ lawyer who’s a associate of Clifford Legislation Places of work.
Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel launched a press release that countered that the lawsuit “misunderstands key facts” together with the variations amongst extreme climate alerts and the situation and security of the constructing.
“This was a new building less than four years old, built in compliance with all applicable building codes, and the local teams were following the weather conditions closely,” Nantel stated. “Severe weather watches are common in this part of the country and, while precautions are taken, are not cause for most businesses to close down. We believe our team did the right thing as soon as a warning was issued.”
The lawsuit seeks greater than $50,000 from every of the 4 defendants named within the swimsuit, which incorporates Amazon.com, the development firm that constructed the power and the venture’s developer.
Nantel stated the corporate would defend itself in opposition to the lawsuit however would proceed to give attention to “supporting our employees and partners, the families who lost loved ones, the surrounding community, and all those affected by the tornadoes.”
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