Grief counselor on hand for Madras Bright Wood workers in wake of fatal industrial accident

(Update: Company statement; working with OSHA, grief counselor for workers)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – An industrial accident Wednesday morning claimed the life of a worker at the Bright Wood millwork plant in Madras, Police Chief Timothy Plummer and the company confirmed.

The accident occurred around 9:30 a.m. at Plant 1 of the facility and the employee died at the scene, Plummer told NewsChannel 21.

The police chief was unable to provide more details about what occurred, but said the company has been fully cooperative in the investigation.

Bright Wood provided this statement Thursday morning to NewsChannel 21:

"Bright Wood is saddened to confirm the death of an employee in one of our Madras buildings yesterday.

"We are releasing no details at this time. Our focus is on supporting the grieving family and investigating this tragic accident. Bright Wood’s safety team is working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to determine the cause so that we can take the necessary steps to prevent this from happening again.

"Bright Wood’s plants are tight-knit communities, and yesterday, we lost a cherished family member, coworker, and friend. A grief counselor will be at the Madras site today to help employees deal with the tragedy. Employees are also encouraged to contact our Employee Assistance Program’s Health Advocate for free, professional, and confidential help any time."

Plummer said the victim’s family has been notified and that the investigation is involving the Jefferson County district attorney’s and medical examiner’s offices, as well as Oregon OSHA, which confirmed it's actively investigating the incident.

The police chief said there were no initial indications of any criminal aspects to what transpired.

Bright Wood has facilities in Madras, Redmond, Prineville and Culver and makes wood window and patio door components, moulding and engineered dimension lumber. It employs about 1,100 workers, the region’s third-largest private employer, according to Economic Development for Central Oregon.

We have reached out to the company for whatever information they can share.