NT man dies in industrial accident at Frontier Fibres
Eric O’Connor
Sunday, August 14, 2005
North Tonawanda, NY -- An accident at a North Tonawanda business Friday night has left an employee dead.
Lee Wilson, 42, 18 Ransom St., North Tonawanda, was found dead around 9 p.m. by co-workers at Frontier Fibres after he was caught in a cardboard compressor. The machine was shut off as soon as his body was discovered among boxes.
Frontier Fibres was closed for the weekend. An employee who answered the phone Saturday said a manager will be available for comment Monday.
There were four other employees working at the time of Wilson’s death, according to North Tonawanda police. An investigation is ongoing, but all indications point to the death being accidental, police said.
Frontier Fibers Inc. at 22 Mechanic St. is a locally owned and operated waste paper and non-ferrous metal recycling facility that’s been in operation for more than 45 years, according to its Web site.
It specializes in recycling shredded or bailed waste paper.
Gary Snyder, Wilson’s backdoor neighbor at 18 Ransom St., said Wilson would sometimes complain of dangerous equipment at the factory. Snyder and his wife moved into the house in December but already were close friends with Wilson.
But that's not all. The Tonawanda News also provides space for readers' comments. Most are condolences. But check this one out:
Debbie (8/15/2005)Hmm
To the Wilson family. Please dont allow this to go without investigation. Lee told Dan how dangerous this place was to work at. Where were the safety guides? Why didn't they supply the employees with a harness to tie off on so that something like this could never have happened. Where were the safety checks before this machine ran? Why when someone was up on the top of the machine was it not locked out? Doesn't anyone watch this machine when it is running? Perhaps the owners of this place better start giving some answers. We send our deepest sympathy to all of you. Lee he was not only our tenant but our FRIEND for many years.
