Family of Tennessee factory worker killed in Helene floodwaters files lawsuit against employer [Video]

The family of a man killed as a result of Hurricane Helene floodwaters in Tennessee has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging his employer “chose greed over the safety of its workers.”

Johnny Peterson, 55, was among the Impact Plastics employees who died on Sept. 27 after Helene’s flooding hit the small, rural town of Erwin in eastern Tennessee.

Surviving employees said they were not told they could leave until the factory lost power, and their cars had already been overtaken by water. 

“They had no emergency action plan, despite the factory being located in a federally-designated flood plan,” the 28-page lawsuit filed on behalf of Peterson’s next of kin, Alexa Peterson, by attorney Alex Little in Unicoi County states. 

11 TENNESSEE FACTORY WORKERS SWEPT AWAY IN HELENE FLOODWATERS, COMPANY RESPONDS TO EVACUATION DECISION

The court-filed documents also allege Impact Plastics CEO Gerald O’Connor Jr. “and other senior management had stealthily exited the building out …