Man crushed to death at pizza factory by a robotic machine

A Palermo’s Pizza worker was crushed dead by a machine while on the job on Wednesday morning (Picture: Google Maps)

An employee at a frozen pizza factory was fatally crushed by a robotic machine.

Robert Cherone was working at a Palermo’s Pizza factory in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday morning when he was crushed by the machine.

Officers rushed to the facility at 3900 W Lincoln Avenue after receiving a report of an ‘industrial accident’ shortly after 6.30am, according to the West Milwaukee Police Department. First responders with the fire department also responded.

‘Life saving measures were attempted, however a 45-year-old male was subsequently pronounced deceased on scene,’ stated the police department.

Robert Cherone was identified as the Palermo’s Pizza worker crushed to death by a robotic machine (Picture: LinkedIn/Rob Cherone)

Cherone, of Elkhorn, was identified by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, which confirmed he was crushed by a robotic machine.

Palermo’s Pizza cooperating with government officials gathering information on the fatality.

‘The tragic accident that took an employees’ life earlier today is a terrible incident that is being fully investigated,’ stated the company’s spokeswoman, Rebecca Schimke.

‘Palermo’s will be supporting the employee’s family and next of kin.’

The worker was killed at a Palermo’s Pizza factory in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Picture: WISN)

The company is also providing counseling services to staff.

A worker told WISN that employees were sent home for the remainder of the day.

Stephanie Bloomingdale who is president of Wisconsin AFL-CIO, which is the largest federation of labor unions in the US, also called it a tragedy.

‘This tragic incident underscores the need for everyone involved in our workplaces – workers, employers, relevant government agencies – to work together aggressively to ensure that every person who goes to work to provide for themselves and their family comes home safely at the end of the day,’ said Bloomingdale.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.

It happened a few months after a worker at Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation cereal plant in Perryville, Missouri, was found stuck and dead in an industrial oven.

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