Sanderson Farms Employee Dies of Injuries Suffered in Fall

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Posted: 4:18 PM Nov 20, 2008
Last Updated: 8:25 PM Nov 21, 2008
Reporter: Meredith Stancik

35 comments

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An accident at Sanderson Farms in Bryan claims the life of an employee.

The Brazos County Sheriff's Department says the incident happened Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency crews were called when Walter Vega was found unconscious. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died from the injuries.

Based on preliminary autopsy results, officials say it appears Vega fell down stairs and died of head injuries.

Sheriff's officials say they are interviewing employees at Sanderson Farms, but it appears this was an accident.

Sanderson Farms refused to comment.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the accident. The agency has six months to complete the investigation.

Funeral arrangements have been set. The funeral will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday, November 21 at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Caldwell.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: ???????? Location: college station on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:20 AM
my uncle was a great guy and im sad that he is gone but hes in a good place

Posted by: alex vega Location: San Angelo Tx on Nov 26, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Thank you for all of the prayers and your comments. My father will be missed and anyone who had the opportunity to meet him or to know him would say he was wonderful person to be around. It has been hard for me and the family to realize that he is gone and that I will not see him again until it's my time. His passing is very sad for many of us especially around thanksgiving, christmas, and his birthday that is just a month away. I am asking you, if you know any information or something that may be helpful to this accident please speak up. I pray that you may have information that will help clear up this case and eliminate all of the confusing stories. I know i will live better in life if I know that the facts are true and that this will never happen to anyone else there. My faith is strong and I know good will come out of this. God bless you and your love ones. Alex Vega

Posted by: who ever posted for sanderson farms on Nov 25, 2008 at 03:11 PM
You must be one of the ones that sit in the offices all day or that just come to the processing area when something bad is going on.Or even yet hide in the supervisors office. All the ones that work sitting down and giving orders need to get out and work like the other people work.Why does'nt Sanderson Farms want employees to talk to OSHA.Is Sanderson Farms scared of something or are you AND Sanderson Farms hidding something?

Posted by: curious Location: bryan on Nov 25, 2008 at 08:08 AM
To Sanderson Farms at 8:49 PM:How much did they pay you to say that? What are they trying to cover up? According to the dozens of witnesses, no one has the same story. I don't think anyone knows what really happened. Its just really sad. I heard there was a loud pop when he fell. Maybe he got hit in the head? That would explain why there were no other injuries other than his head. No broken bones, no bruises....kinda makes you wonder. A fall down the stairs would have caused something else you would think. That's just my opinion.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: bryan on Nov 24, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Will you are a Bryan idiot. The floors are like walking on wet ice fool. Chicken Body fat make them dangerous to walk on and people fall down on them all the time like the above. You do not work hear so keep your comments to yourself.

Posted by: Sanderson Farms on Nov 24, 2008 at 08:49 PM
I'd like to tell Brenda and all the other people, first of all, Walter didn't slip on the floor, he passed out and then fell down the stairs, dozens of people saw this. The guy that got electrocuted a couple of years ago, he was in a place that he was told specifically not to go, and the guy that passed out, well, he had not taken his medication for three days, he is fine now. I have been at Sanderson Farms for over 5 years, and no, I'm not a Supervisor, maybe one day. The guy that came in and shot somebody, that was at the other plant and he got mad because he didn't get a new contract. OSHA came in and looked at the place and the stairs, there is nothing wrong with the stairs, thousands of people have gone up and down the stairs without an incident. Don't judge a good company based on the comments of a few disgruntled employees that couldn't do the job and got fired. Sanderson Farms is a good company and me and a few relatives work here and we enjoy it.

Posted by: D.M. Location: Bryan on Nov 24, 2008 at 08:40 PM
To HS...you dont even know what your talking about...or ALL your talking about...the year was 2001 and the guy shot some managers there after a contract with him raising the chickens was cancelled leaving he and his family out in the cold. That is WHY he went postal.

Posted by: Richard Location: cs on Nov 24, 2008 at 07:44 PM
I am not going to buy their chicken products any more after hearing all these disgruntled employees, there is no telling what some of their employees have done to the meat without thinking of the results down the line (consumer). Sorry for the loss of the man. Sure have been alot of deaths lately, I hope the community steps to the plate and not let these people die for nothing. We need find and persecute the parties responsible for these senseless deaths here. Out

Posted by: Will Location: Bryan on Nov 24, 2008 at 03:50 PM
What the h*&% does the floor company have to do this man's cause of death? WHO cares if the floors are clean or not? I could care less .....this won't bring the man back. My prayers are with his family.

Posted by: Sanderson Farms need a ne chain of command Location: bryan on Nov 24, 2008 at 03:10 PM
I don't see how Sanderson Farms has been in Business for 10 years.They don't care about the people, all they care about is the chicken they need to ship out. I worked for a couple of years and fell three times from the stairs. I was lucky nothing happened to me.They need to do repairs and inprovements and not think about the budget instead of pathching and trying to save as much money as they can. Hopefully OSHA can do something about this terrible accident. Hopefully OHSA can see the king of mess that goes on at Sanderson Farms.Like i said i worked there for years.

Posted by: HS Location: Bryan on Nov 24, 2008 at 03:03 PM
I see alot of comments about the way the supervisors treat the employees @ Sanderson farms,....If I remember correctly, this is the same location about 8-10 years ago, where someone walked in the plant and opened fire on a boss and other employees, killing 2 I think, and himself..Now maybe we may know why he did this...maybe he went postal over the way he was treated and the conditions @ the plant.

Posted by: Sn Location: Bryan on Nov 24, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Nikki, God bless you and your family. I pray that someone will come forward with details on your family members accident and you will be vendicated.

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 24, 2008 at 02:46 PM
We had a Professional company do floor cleaning for over 10 years in some areas. The company was let go about 5-Months ago because the raised the price. The old company used only safety type of chemicals for floors. We had no problems in the areas they cleaned.

Posted by: Nikki Location: Brazos Valley on Nov 24, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Walter Vega was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed by many people. This is so tragic and our family just wants to know how this happened. If anyone has any information about what really happened to my Uncle Walter, please contact OSHA or the Brazos County Sheriff's Department.

Posted by: SANDERSONFARMS NEED TO DO THEIR JOB Location: CALVERT on Nov 23, 2008 at 08:23 PM
THERE WAS A WHITE GUY DIED OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK MAYBE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND A SPANISH MAN COLLAPSED IN THE BATHROOM FLOOR ABOUT THREE DAYS AGO SOMEONE FOUND HIM.HE GOT RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL.

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:33 PM
The main Adm. floors have been in Bad shape for months I agree. If they can not clean the office floors how can the clean the plant floors.

Posted by: jj Location: bryan on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:05 PM
its that they dont listen to non of the employees when we tell them we are feeling sick they dont say nothin the supervisors just ignore us but this is not the first dies but they work us off like slaves in then they dont want pay us good but when something happens like this they dont want us to talk the OSHA should investagate in other departments cause this was no accident he told them he felt sick what do they want i know cause i work there

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 22, 2008 at 04:52 PM
To jj...WHAT???????

Posted by: Jessica on Nov 22, 2008 at 12:21 AM
RIP uncle Walter, you were a good man and you will be missed. Jessica xx

Posted by: Brenda Location: Brazos Valley on Nov 21, 2008 at 09:33 PM
Walter made several reports to Sanderson Farms about the floors being to slippery. He fell several times before. If anyone else has information regarding this situation, please contact OSHA you could be saving your own life or that of your family member or friend. Unsafe working conditions cause wrongful deaths in Texas all of the time. It is time to stop this tragedy!

Posted by: jj Location: bryan on Nov 21, 2008 at 07:54 PM
it's that they don"t listen to any one when we say that we are feeling sick gut they say it's going to be ok hope ya'll can help them buy us to say that we feel sick and they just inogon us push the with answens cause it's not the first time for employee to ask for help so put all ya'll can to see how it really happen

Posted by: thoughts with the familyb Location: bryan on Nov 21, 2008 at 06:36 PM
i am so sorry for the familys loss. i hope they know that they are in many peoples thoughts today. did he collapse and fall? my thoughts also to the coworkers who may have seen this. i hope this family will be okay.

Posted by: c Location: bryan on Nov 21, 2008 at 06:12 PM
rip tio

Posted by: just nobody Location: somewhere on Nov 21, 2008 at 05:01 PM
Walter Vega.....God's Speed

Posted by: Yvonne Location: CS on Nov 21, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Please, KBTX, let us know if the family of this man is needing any assistance. My heart goes out to them.

Posted by: Brandy Location: Bryan on Nov 21, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Hmmm...another death at Sanderson Farms! Who'd of thought it?!?!

Posted by: What? Location: College Station on Nov 21, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Has the name of the employee been released? Does anyone know who it is? Lots of us have friends and acquaintenances who work there so this information would be helpful to those who want to console those family members.

Posted by: Ricardo Location: Bryun on Nov 20, 2008 at 06:17 PM
i hope a lawyur will help his and his familia.

Posted by: Kim Location: Bryan on Nov 20, 2008 at 05:51 PM
Oh my goodness......is this the first time the accident has been announced?

Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 20, 2008 at 04:22 PM
Who is "he"