Tornado Disaster
Family of dead delivery driver sues Amazon
The Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois was destroyed by tornadoes
© Jason Tan/ / Picture Alliance
The devastating tornado caught Austin McEwen in the restroom at the Amazon warehouse. Now his parents are suing the company for putting profits ahead of employee safety.
Six people died on December 10 when a tornado destroyed an Amazon warehouse in Illinois. Now the family of one of the victims is suing the mail-order giant for manslaughter. The parents of the killed delivery driver Austin McEwen accuse the group of not evacuating the employees in time, as US media reports.
The lawsuit alleges that Amazon recklessly required workers to continue working until just before the tornado hit. “It appears Amazon has put profit first over the holiday season rather than ensuring the safety of our son and the five other families who have lost loved ones,” Alice McEwen said in a news conference on Monday. She is the mother of the 26-year-old man who died in the accident while sheltering in the warehouse toilet. The family also filed a lawsuit against the construction company and the property developer.
Amazon rejected the allegations. The lawsuit misses important facts, “such as the difference between different types of severe weather and tornado warnings and the condition and safety of the building,” a spokeswoman told CNN. Severe storms occur more often in the region, so it is unusual for companies to close as a precaution. In addition, the building was less than four years old and was built in accordance with all building regulations.
investigations are ongoing
Serious allegations against Amazon were made shortly after the devastating accident. Employees and relatives reported that the employer did not warn its workforce in good time of the approaching tornado, but allowed them to continue with their work. Therefore, not everyone would have made it to the designated shelter in time. The occupational safety and health authority OSHA has also initiated investigations. Amazon had already rejected the allegations at the time.
Austin McEwen was not directly employed by Amazon but worked as a subcontractor. Nevertheless, his family now wants to hold Amazon accountable. It was clear the day before that there was a tornado threat in the area and the warning was tightened throughout the day, said Jack Casciato, one of the attorneys for CNN. “The question Amazon needs to answer is: Why were these workers in the building?”