Overview
- TOSHA's investigation found that Impact Plastics gave employees sufficient time to evacuate before Hurricane Helene's floodwaters struck, deeming the deaths not work-related.
- Victims' families and their attorneys dispute TOSHA's findings, citing overlooked evidence such as witness testimonies, emergency alert logs, and text messages.
- Six people, including five employees and one contractor, died after floodwaters overwhelmed a semi-trailer where they had sought refuge, while others escaped using makeshift routes.
- The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's separate probe into the incident remains ongoing, alongside a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against Impact Plastics and its founder.
- Critics argue that inadequate emergency plans and destroyed safety records reflect systemic failures, with some neighboring businesses evacuating earlier and avoiding casualties.