San Gabriel Valley, California – In a tragic workplace incident in Irwindale, a repairman lost his life while working inside an oil tank at Jonell Oil Corp., a company specializing in the manufacturing of lubricant and metal fluids.
The victim was identified as Scott Outland, a 54-year-old resident of West Covina and an independent contractor employed by the corporation.
The fateful workplace incident in Irwindale was reported by a witness at 11:39 a.m. on Monday at the facilities located at 13649 Live Oak Lane. The caller reported the presence of a man without vital signs, and Sergeant Michael Arias of Irwindale confirmed the tragic news.
According to Sergeant Diego Cornejo, the tank in which Outland was working had a capacity of 3,000 gallons and was used for blending motor oil. At the time of the incident, the blades used for blending were scheduled for repair, so the tank was empty.
To clean the area of excess oil, Outland used a chemical cleaner. Sergeant Cornejo suggests that vapors generated during this process may have affected the worker, leading to fatal consequences.
The coroner’s office will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the precise cause of Scott Outland’s death.
Founded in 1975, Jonell Oil Corp. specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of lubricant and metal fluids. As of now, the company has not responded to requests for comments on the tragic incident.
This unfortunate event highlights the importance of maintaining rigorous safety measures in workplace environments, reminding us that the safety of workers should always be a priority.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victim.
