Workers Stunned at Death of Coworkers on Job

Hollywood, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – Workers at two workplaces in Florida and Oklahoma are recovering after two of their co-workers were killed on the job.

In Hollywood, Fla., police are investigating a death at a warehouse near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport last week. 

Officers said they responded to the Wärtsilä North America warehouse around 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday. Wärtsilä is a Finnish company doing business in the marine and energy industries. Upon their arrival, they found the victim dead inside the fuel room. The man was lying in a pool of blood, suffering from head trauma, officers said.  

Witnesses said Bryan Menocal, 31, admitted to killing the victim, his co-worker. Menocal allegedly struck the victim repeatedly with a “large sledgehammer”, police said. Witnesses told officials Menocal walked into an office with the sledgehammer and then leave the building.  

Although Menocal fled the scene, officers were later able to take him into custody. Once in custody, Menocal admitted he killed his co-worker, Ferdinand “Andy” Williams, 40, after an argument.  

Wärtsilä employees said the business was closed Wednesday morning while police investigated.

The company later said in a statement that it was “very saddened” to learn of the incident. 

“Our deepest condolences go to the family of the deceased worker,” the statement said. “The facility remains closed and the authorities are investigating the incident. They will comment once more information is available.”

Police said the incident was an isolated incident between two people who knew each other and worked together. Charging documents said Menocal demonstrated "a depraved mind without regard for human life." According to Broward County court records, Menocal has an extensive criminal history for more than 10 years, including multiple felony counts of cocaine possession. 

On Oklahoma, workers are wondering why deadly force was used on a worker who had just been fired. 

Chiewelthap Mariar, a 26-year-old refuge from Sudan, was killed by Guymon, Oklahoma police while he was working at the Seaboard Foods plant there on January 9.  

An employee who filmed the incident on his cellphone said Mariar was fired from his job, but had been told by human resources at the plant to finish his shift. That worker was also fired for filming the incident.  

The filming worker, who spoke to WSWS.com on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said that as Mariar continued to work per human resources suggestions, he was approached by the supervisor who fired him who confronted him on the shop floor of the meat-packing plant. 

The filming worker said that police were called to escort Mariar from the site. 

“I witnessed the entire thing, from when they started arguing with him until he was shot,” said the worker. “He had a company-issued band-cutter in his hand. When the police got to the plant, the guy was already working, minding his own business.”

According to the worker’s cellphone footage, Mariar was working around other employees with the band-cutter in his hand until police arrived. 

“They made him out to be a danger when they said he had a knife in his hand, when it wasn’t. And that’s wrong on so many levels,” the worker said. 

Officers shot Mariar, who was transported to a hospital where he died.  

The filming worker said other employees were told to continue working.  

“I worked in maintenance. All they had us do was cover the scene with plastic, and we proceeded to finish what was on the production line,” the worker told the Guardian. “This company fired me for recording the truth they were trying to brush under the mat. They never asked me if I was OK. It was my first time seeing a guy get killed – and then I get fired.” 

In a press release, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said they were looking into the incident. 

OSBI said Mariar brandished a knife and approached the officers who tried to use a Taser on Mariar to subdue him. When the Taser failed, the officers shot Mariar.  

Seaboard Corporation, the company’s parent company, said they were looking into the incident. 

“Following the incident, operations were ceased for the remainder of the evening and the following day, and we provided in-person counseling services for employees throughout the week, in addition to ongoing phone counseling services available 24 hours, seven days a week,” a spokesman for the company said. “We express our heartfelt sorrow to Chiewelthap Mariar’s family, co-workers, friends and those affected by his death following an incident at our Guymon processing plant involving the Guymon police department on 9 January. Providing our employees with a safe work environment and their wellbeing is extremely important to us. Following repeated attempts to bring calm to the situation, we requested assistance from the Guymon police as we felt it was in the best interest for everyone’s safety.” 

Seaboard employs about 2,600 people at the Guymon plant. Seaboard Corporation is one of the largest companies in the world with over $9 billion in annual revenue. The plant is estimated to process about 6 million pigs a year.  

A representative of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) has called for an investigation into Mariar’s death.  

“Mr. Mariar and his family came to this country to escape the violence and strife of Sudan, settled in Guymon, Oklahoma, to contribute to the economy of our country, and died senselessly on the shop floor,” said Martin Rosas, UFCW local 2 president. “Chiewelthap, his family, his community, and his fellow workers deserve justice.”

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