A 61-year-old man has died after an industrial accident near a Walt Disney World employee area, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
According to deputies, two employees were emptying oil and grease byproduct from a semitrailer into a vat at the Harvest Power energy facility in Reedy Creek near Western Way just after midnight Wednesday morning. The facility is near Cast Connection and Property Control, not far from Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Deputies said one of the employees, a 61-year-old man, was standing on a grate when he slipped and fell into the vat.
The other man tried to pull the victim from the vat but was not able to help, deputies said.
According to deputies, fumes from the byproduct overwhelmed the victim and he slipped further into the vat.
Reedy Creek Fire assisted with the recovery of the man.
Deputies have not released any names.
Harvest Power released a statement that read, "This was a tragic accident. We are all deeply saddened by the loss of this co-worker. We are in shock and grief and figuring out what happened."
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