Victim ID'd in Cohen industrial accident

UPDATE @ 3:45 p.m. (Oct. 17, 2014):

Cohen has never had a citation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, but site owner Metal Shredders Inc., has, said Bill Wilkerson, director of OSHA's Cincinnati office.

Metal Shredders had one serious citation in July 2013 for not having grounded outlets and not having a mid-guard rail on a catwalk. The company was fined $7,650, but settled for a $2,600 fine.

According to Wilkerson, the violation from last summer and Thursday are unrelated.

A preliminary report indicates the victim, welder Geoffrey S. Garnett, was helping employees replace the roof of an electrical transformer substation. The crew consisted of employees from other Cohen locations and Metal Shredders. Garnett was electrocuted by touching wires running from the substation, carrying between 1,000 and 2,000 volts.

Wilkerson said it will be anywhere from six weeks to several months to determine whether any violations occurred.

UPDATE @ 9:40 p.m. (Oct. 16, 2014):

A West Carrollton Police Department call for service report for the workplace accident indicated the incident was dispatched as a non-emergency fire and medic call for an electrocution.

Units were dispatched at 3:53 p.m. and responded at 4:02 p.m. to the business, according to the report.

UPDATE @ 8:25 p.m. (Oct. 16, 2014):

Middletown-based Cohen released a statement tonight following the death of one of its workers, 33-year-old Geoffrey S. Garnett, in an industrial accident at its West Carrollton facility.

"First and foremost we are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a Cohen employee," company spokesman Adam Dumes stated. "We consider all of our employees part of the Cohen family. We are committed to gathering all of the facts surrounding today's tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is suffering this loss with us."

UPDATE @ 7:09 p.m. (Oct. 16, 2014):

The welder who died in the industrial accident has been identified as 33-year-old Geoffrey S. Garnett of Somerville in Butler County, according to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.

UPDATE @ 5:55 p.m. (Oct. 16, 2014):

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday for a 33-year-old man who was killed, according to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.

The worker, a welder, was fatally injured during an industrial accident. His name and preliminary cause of death have not been released.

The Middletown-based company, which began operating in 1924, has more than 20 locations from Columbus to southern Kentucky, including sites in Dayton, Hamilton and Springfield, according to its website.

Last year, the company, formerly known as Cohen Brothers, best known as one of the largest scrap metal processor in southwest Ohio, began rebranding itself as a recycling company.

UPDATE @ 5:37 p.m. (Oct. 16, 2014):

A 33-year-old welder was fatally injured during an industrial accident.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will send an investigator Friday morning to the business at 5101 Farmersville West Carrollton Road.

"OSHA's wish is to express condolences to the family of this worker fatally injured today," said Jesse Lawder of the agency's public affairs office.

Lawder said OSHA had no previous history with the company, and that fatalities must be reported to the agency within eight hours.

UPDATE @ 5 p.m. (Oct. 16, 2014):

At least one person has died today at an industrial accident at a metal processing center.

The Montgomery County Coroner's Office has been called to the scene.

UPDATE @ 4:30 p.m. (Oct. 16, 2014):

West Carrollton police confirmed there has been an "industrial accident" this afternoon at Cohen Recycling Center.

However, the officer would not confirm it involved an electrocution as was initially reported.

Numerous Dayton Power & Light vehicles, including three trucks, are outside the business, as well as the West Carrollton police and fire departments.

FIRST REPORT (Oct. 16, 2014):

Medics are on the scene this afternoon of an apparent workplace accident at a metal recycling facility.

Dayton Power & Light Co. has two trucks at the Cohen Recycling Center, 5101 Farmersville-West Carrollton Road.

Initial reports indicated a worker may have been shocked. The incident was reported around 3:30 p.m.

DP&L confirmed they responded to the business, but would not say why.

"We're cooperating with the authorities," said Laurie Denger, a DP&L spokeswoman.

At the driveway to the business, workers are turning away potential customers, saying they are closed due to a power outage.

We're on the scene and will update this report as we learn details.