Impact Plastics, a Unicoi County, Tennessee, plastics factory, is under investigation following the tragic deaths of several employees during the Hurricane Helene flood.
ERWIN, Tenn. – It took 35 days.
Weeks stretched into a month, each day a fresh nightmare for Rosy Reynoso‘s husband and two children.
The memory of her voice, a desperate plea from the heart of the Impact Plastics factory in Erwin, Tennessee, still echoed in his mind.
On Oct. 31, more than a month after the Erwin, Tennessee, flooding occurred, the last worker reported missing from Impact Plastics, Rosa Marria Andrade Reynoso, was found and identified.
(Photo courtesy the Reynoso family)
As the nearby Nolichucky River became swollen by the remnants of Hurricane Helene, the 29-year-old plant worker reached out to her husband in what would be her last voice on Earth.
“At one point, she called her husband and said, ‘This is bad. I don’t think I’m going to make it. Can you tell our kids how much I love them and take care of them?'” Annabel Andrade’s voice trembled as she spoke to FOX Weather last month, tears welling in her eyes while searching for Reynoso.
The devastating floods at Impact Plastics took seven lives. Reynoso’s body, the final piece of this tragic puzzle, was identified on Oct. 31. Her remains were found in a debris pile – some up to 30 feet deep – along Interstate 26 in Erwin.
‘WHY DID YOU MAKE US WORK?’: IMPACT PLASTICS EMPLOYEE RECALLS HELENE FLOOD THAT KILLED COWORKERS
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, authorities are investigating Impact Plastics’ plant in Erwin, Tennessee, where numerous workers were swept away by floodwaters.
Her husband, while grieving, now finds solace in the knowledge of her final resting place.
Their 7-year-old daughter remains in Erwin, while their 10-year-old son is stranded in Mexico, desperately trying to return for his mother’s funeral, family members said.
“I can’t imagine my (child) not knowing where his mom is at and not having the comfort of dad hugging him … and telling him everything’s going to be okay,” Andrade said.
SEVERAL DEAD FROM IMPACT PLASTICS FACILITY AFTER HELENE FLOODS ERWIN, TENNESSEE
Reynoso’s 7-year-old daughter remains in Erwin, while her 10-year-old son is stranded in Mexico, desperately trying to return for her funeral, family members said.
(Photo courtesy the Reynoso family)
In a company statement sent to FOX Weather, senior management at Impact Plastics claimed that they had monitored the weather and dismissed employees when the situation became unsafe. However, workers have disputed this claim. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is conducting an investigation into allegations against Impact Plastics at the request of 1st Judicial District Attorney General Steve Finney.
INVESTIGATORS PROBE TENNESSEE PLASTICS FACTORY AFTER DEATHS DURING HELENE FLOODING
Located in Erwin’s Riverview Industrial Park, Impact Plastics was impacted by heavy rainfall on Sept. 27. As the water levels rose and the plant lost power, management dismissed employees to ensure their safety.
(Jacob Ingram)
Reynoso was one of 11 employees who sought refuge on top of a tractor-trailer in the parking lot to avoid the rising flood, holding on for their lives, according to Andrade.
“We weren’t expecting this,” she said. “Authorities were not prepared. Nobody was prepared for this. People were evacuated from their homes. It was just chaos.”
Overwhelmed by sorrow, Reynoso’s family prepares for her funeral, turning to the community for help with online fundraising efforts.
After 35 long days, a glimmer of hope emerged from the darkness in East Tennessee.