Daniel Collazo, 28-Year-Old Mass. Man, Dies In Accident At Tribe Hummus Plant

A sanitation worker at a Tribe Mediterranean Foods hummus factory in Taunton, Mass., died this morning after falling victim to an industrial accident. 28-year-old Daniel Collazo, a native of Fall River, Mass., got his hand caught in a grinder at the hummus plant. Authorities were called to the scene around 1 a.m., and pronounced Collazo dead on arrival.

Operations at the Taunton plant, the company's main facility, were temporarily halted so the police and the Occupational Safety and Hazard Association (OSHA) would be able to conduct a full investigation.

Tribe Mediterranean Foods issued the following statement to the press regarding the incident:

We can confirm that early this morning one of our employees was killed in an industrial accident. Foremost we are terribly saddened by this morning's incident, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the individual’s family at this difficult time. We have been working closely with OSHA and local authorities who have been looking into all details surrounding this matter. To ensure the well-being of all family members involved, as well as that of our employees, we have outreached to local experts who are now onsite for counseling services.

Tribe was purchased by Nestle subsidiary Osem Group for $57 million in 2008, and is the second-biggest manufacturer of hummus in the country. The company headquarters are also located in Taunton, Mass.