A robotic machine crushed a bakery manager at a Palermo’s Pizza factory near Milwaukee, killing the 45-year-old worker. The West Milwaukee Police Department stated that the incident remains under investigation.
The press release explained that the police department and the Milwaukee Fire Department responded to a report of an “industrial accident” at the facility. First responders attempted life-saving measures but ultimately pronounced the worker deceased on scene. Wisconsin Public Radio identified the worker as Robert Cherone.
Cherone’s LinkedIn profile mentions that he joined Palermo’s in 2023, working as a sanitation manager for nearly two years before transitioning to a bakery manager role in January. He previously worked as a production manager at O&H Danish Bakery and a production supervisor at Jones Dairy Farm.
Palermo’s released a statement calling the accident a “terrible incident” and noted that it would cooperate with government officials, offer counseling and support services to its workforce and support Cherone’s family and next of kin.
The police department added that it contacted OSHA and the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 112 people in Wisconsin died from fatal work injuries in 2023. Contact incidents accounted for 21% of the deaths.
Palermo’s opened the 250,000-square-foot production facility earlier this year. The company operates two additional Wisconsin factories in Milwaukee and Jefferson.
