LOS ANGELES, April 28 (UPI) -- Bumble Bee Foods and two employees have been charged in the 2012 death of Jose Melena, who was burned alive in an oven at the seafood processing company's plant in Sante Fe Springs, Calif.
The Los Angeles District Attorney said Monday that it charged Bumble Bee, its former safety manager, Saul Florez, and its former director of plant operations, Angel Rodriguez, with three felony counts each of an occupational safety violation causing death.
Melena, a 62-year-old father of six, was working inside the 35-foot-long oven when his co-workers, who did not know he was inside, loaded 12,000 pounds of tuna into the oven and turned on the oven's pressure cooker. His burned remains were discovered two hours later.
Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement that her office takes worker safety "very seriously."
Related
"Our goal is to enhance the criminal prosecution of workplace safety violations," Lacey said. Although the Bumble Bee investigation began in 2012, this case represents our commitment to protecting workers from illegal -- and, potentially, deadly -- on-the-job practices."
Bumble Bee said in a statement that the company is "devastated" by Melena's death.
"We are currently exploring all options with respect to those charges and will proceed in the manner that best serves the needs of the Melena family, our employees and the company," the statement said.
Bumble Bee also noted that the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration previously investigated the incident and found that "no willful violations" had occurred.
"Since the 2012 accident, we have made our safety program even more robust, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safest possible workplace for our employees," the statement added.
