FREAK ACCIDENT

Utah Woman Dies After Being Sucked Into Purple Mattress Factory Machine

It was the second recent safety incident at the Purple Mattress plant in Grantsville, Utah, state officials confirmed.

An employee at a Purple Mattress plant in Grantsville, Utah, died Thursday after her arm got caught in a piece of equipment and she was pulled inside, police said. The 51-year-old victim was identified by Salt Lake City NBC affiliate KSL-TV as Anita Irene Coester. According to the outlet, emergency crews arrived at the factory and extricated Coester from the machine, but were unable to resuscitate her. It was the second recent workplace accident at the factory, a Utah Labor Commission spokesman told KUTV, declining to provide further details. In a statement released Friday, Purple Mattress communications director Misty Bond said: “We are saddened to report that a Purple employee was injured while working and later succumbed to her injuries at our Grantsville location. We have shut down manufacturing pending an investigation as we place the health and safety of our employees first and foremost. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family. We ask that everyone please respect their privacy at this difficult time.”