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SARATOGA SPRINGS -- A 29-year-old man died Tuesday after ingesting a chemical substance while working at a chemical plant in Payson.
His family says they're in shock. And now questions are being raised about how Mauricio Lacayo ingested the chemical and why the company allowed the man to go home.
Family remembers Mauricio Lacayo and tells of his plans for the future
"It's a hard day. He was a little brother to me. Being the oldest, I never thought I'd have to see my little brother go first," Octavio Lacayo said.
"We're devastated to have a brother yesterday and not have him today," Pablo Lacayo said.
They say Mauricio Lacayo was making plans for the future. A husband and father of three, including a 6-month-old boy, Mauricio Lacayo was ready to go back to school to be a paramedic.
"He had every intention of going back [to] finish his school" Octavio Lacayo said. "As a matter of fact, that's one of the things we talked about on Monday -- the last time I saw him."
Details of Lacayo's chemical exposure
Maurice Lacayo took a job with Sabinsa Corporation two years ago to support his family. He is believed to have ingested selenomethionine, a selenium-based amino acid believed to be helpful in treating cancer, while at work Tuesday.
However, in a statement released Wednesday afternoon by the company he worked for, Sabinsa Corporation is claiming selenomethionine is not to blame for Mauricio Lacayo's symptoms or death.
"The substances he worked with are all natural ingredients, none of which are toxic or dangerous. That morning his supervisor asked him to measure out a 10.5 gram sample of L-Selenomethionine (LSM). The remaining amounts in the container with which he worked have been measured and all the material is accounted for, ruling out LSM as the cause of his symptoms," the company said in the statement. [CLICK HERE to read the entire statement]
The Sabinsa Corporation also said Mauricio Lacayo "was ill with profuse vomiting" in the morning and was asked by a co-worker if he wanted to go to the hospital. He indicated he had called his wife and just wanted to go home.
According Mauricio Lacayo's brother-in-law, he opened a bag of the substance and it puffed into his face. He began feeling sick, so he called his wife to come pick him up.
The brother-in-law says when Mauricio Lacayo got home he began to vomit, and his wife took him to a nearby Intermountain Healthcare InstaCare clinic.
Once medical personnel learned Mauricio Lacayo had been exposed to a chemical, they transported him to American Fork Hospital. He died of cardiac arrest shortly after arrival.
Effects of ingesting L-Selenomethionine
According to a Material Data Safety Sheet, L-Selenomethionine is "very hazardous in case of ingestion, of inhalation" and as a precaution is says, "Do not breathe dust. Wear suitable protective clothing. In case of insufficient ventilation, wear suitable respiratory equipment." For symptoms is says breathing in the fumes can cause "bronchospasm, chills, fever, headache, and chemical pneumonitis."
Tuesday night, hazmat crews quarantined Mauricio Lacayo's house and the clinic. Wednesday morning it was determined everyone exposed to him was OK.
An OSHA investigator spent the day at Sabinsa Wednesday checking to see if all the safety guidelines were followed. OSHA says the company hasn't been in trouble before.
Police, medical experts hope autopsy will yield answersPolice say their next step is to have an autopsy performed on Mauricio Lacayo and investigate further into how he was exposed at the plant.
"I know that we'll find out what happened. We'll get to the bottom of this based on forensic lab work when that's completed and testing returns. When that happens, a determination will be made and then I'll be able to answer that more fully," said Saratoga Springs police Cpl. Aaron Rosen. "There is an investigation ongoing, both here, both at his residence and at his workplace."
The Utah County Health Department is also looking into this case. Right now, officials there are also waiting for the autopsy report.
"First off, we're not entirely certain what the cause is, whether it's from the work site, if it's something he ran into in other places, if it's some type of allergy he has, or what the situation is exactly," said Lance Madigan, with the Utah County Health Department.
Mauricio Lacayo's family would not talk about what may have caused his death. Instead, they wanted to remember the man he was.
"He was the type of person to walk out of the way to help people out," Pablo Lacayo said. "He was a great father, and he totally loved his children.
"He was bigger than live. He loved living. He loved helping people out," Octavio Lacayo added. "We're going to miss him, and even though he's gone he'll never be forgotten."
Neighborhood grieving over Lacoyo's death
Mauricio Lacayo's neighbors are also mourning his death. They say the community is in shock and grieving the loss of such a wonderful man.
One neighbor says her concern is now for Mauricio Lacayo's wife and three young children.
"We're grieving and, at the same time, we know we need to be there for Yolanda and her babies. We are here for her," says neighbor Rachel Marshall.
Marshall, like many friends and neighbors, wants to know more about what happened at Sabinsa and why he was not immediately sent to hospital after being exposed.
KSL contacted the company several times Wednesday and left several messages, but the company did not return those calls.
If you would like to help the family, you can donate to the "Mauricio Lacayo Donation Account"* at any Wells Fargo Bank location.
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Story compiled with contributions from Sandra Yi, Shara Park, Alex Cabrero and Andrew Adams.
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*KSL.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does KSL.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
