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SALT LAKE CITY — An employee of a Salt Lake medical laboratory died Thursday after an apparent fall inside a two-story cold room.
The man, whose name was not released Thursday, died after falling inside the ARUP Laboratories facility at the University of Utah Research Park.
The massive cold room is used for medical research and testing, said Dean Li, president and CEO of ARUP and a cardiologist at University Hospital.
The circumstances that led to the fall are still being investigated, Li said. The man fell about 15 feet.
The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident, and police and paramedics were also called to the scene of the fall. Those who were with the man when he fell apparently attempted first aid.
The man was an industrial engineer who had been working with ARUP for about nine years, Li said. He was reportedly alert on the way to the emergency room but later died from his injuries.
Li called the loss of the longtime employee devastating and said everyday work at the ARUP lab was halted. Grief counselors were on hand to speak with colleagues of the man who died.
Contributing: Nicole Vowell
Yesterday, an ARUP employee had a fatal fall while performing maintenance on the specimen storage freezer. We are devastated by the passing of a long-term employee.
ARUP is committed to employee safety and is cooperating fully in all official investigations of this incident.
As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time. If any new information becomes available we will release a new statement.
