WEATHERSFIELD — Five employees of Lane LifeTrans who responded to Arconic for a body and employees at the plant who found the man are under self-quarantine as a precaution after possible exposure to the coronavirus.
Two of the five medical workers, Tom Lambert and Jeff Tucker, are chief and captain of the Weathersfield Fire Department.
The call was just before 9 a.m. Wednesday to the Warren Avenue plant for an unconscious man. He later died on the property.
“It was a different call than one for the flu. When we got there, a nurse was performing CPR, but no one knew his history,” Lambert said.
The man had called in sick the last three days for the flu and when he returned to work, he called a friend about having severe respiratory distress, Lambert said.
Police would not release the report or the man’s name Thursday.
Cary Dell, spokesman for Arconic, said the death was not work related.
“Our thoughts are with the employee’s family, and we are working to support the employee’s family and colleagues with appropriate services. The death is under investigation by the Trumbull County coroner,” Dell said in an emailed statement.
“Until the coroner completes its investigation, Arconic Niles Operations, out of an abundance of caution, has directed employees who came into contact with the deceased to self-quarantine in keeping with our specific protocols for employees at this time,” Dell said.
Lambert said the quarantine for the medical workers is precautionary, too. A test to detect COVID-19 was done on the man’s body. If it returns negative, they will return to work as normal, Lambert said.
In the meantime, Capt. Ray Knepper is acting chief for the fire department, and Lane has brought on people to fill the spots.
“We’re feeling fine, but are taking precautions,” Lambert said.
A coroner’s official said Thursday the office is waiting to have an autopsy done on the man until lab results on the coronavirus test are complete.
Arconic makes aluminum, titanium or nickel parts for planes, cars and electronics.