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PCA employee killed in apparent workplace accident at Counce paper mill

A Packaging Corporation of America employee was killed Thursday afternoon in a workplace incident, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Department reports.
Jesse Cole Jordan, 31, of Stantonville, Tennessee died in what HCSD Investigator Jeremy Hulen said this afternoon appears to be an accident.
According to a preliminary investigative report, Hardin County E-911 was called at 12:42 p.m., and Hulen was notified and dispatched to the scene at about 3:10 p.m.
Hulen said Jordan was working in the facility’s recycling building and operating a machine that is used to move heavy bales of paper. He said the machine is similar to a forklift, but has clamps that open and grasp the bales, instead of forks which slide under things and pick them up.
Hulen said there were no direct eyewitnesses to the incident, but it appears that Jordan was beneath the machine for some reason and the clamps released and fell on him.
Jordan was discovered trapped under the clamps by a co-worker. PCA employees used another machine to lift the clamps off of Jordan and an ambulance was called.
Jordan was transported to Hardin Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Hulen said the matter remains under investigation.
PCA Counce Mill Operations Manager Janet Wright emailed The Courier a statement Friday afternoon.
It says that “Jordan, a PCA employee died at the Counce Mill in Counce, Tennessee as a result of a clamp truck accident. Our condolences and prayers are with his family and others in his life.”
He “was a valued employee at PCA and will be missed by his coworkers. We are conducting a full review to determine the cause of the accident and take all appropriate steps to prevent a similar incident.”

16 Comments

  1. Kristy Stewart on July 30, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    I hope yall are finger printing that machine. It’s sounds a little fishy. It just so fell the one time that someone was under it. Was there something under there he was trying to get, evidently not. So who put him under there?

    • Jeanne Hudson on July 31, 2021 at 6:20 am

      Was a family member!!! A very good man, husband and father!!!! God bless his wife and daughter and parents!!! You’ll meet again!!!! Prayers for your family!!!!

    • Employee at PCA on July 31, 2021 at 12:00 pm

      If you would read the article it explains exactly what happened. There is no conspiracy trust me! I work there and know first hand.

    • David saxton on July 31, 2021 at 10:12 pm

      Lay off the murder mysteries accidents do happen smh.

    • Myra on August 1, 2021 at 9:32 am

      Stop trying to start something that you know nothing about. The man lost his life.machines act up and people react without thinking.I lost a friend in a factory setting a few years ago.I know exactly how his work friends are feeling right now.My friends supervisor had a nervous breakdown from trying to get him out of this machine.

      • No Conspiracy on December 11, 2022 at 5:50 pm

        No conspiracy here. The man had a nervous breakdown attempting to get him out after he dropped it on him ultimately killing him. The whole story was not told.

    • PCA Employee on August 5, 2021 at 9:24 am

      what an incredibly inconsiderate thing to say. You know nothing else of the situation and have the nerve to say something so ignorant.

  2. josephleeksr on July 30, 2021 at 10:01 pm

    Jesse was a good friend of mine ,he leaves behind a wife and daughter that he loved dearly .I will miss him ,God be with his family and help them through this troubled time.

  3. Frank McPohler on July 31, 2021 at 2:35 pm

    A cursory Google search reveals at least two other employee deaths at that mill during the last 10 years. That place sounds like a death trap.

  4. Gary Keller on July 31, 2021 at 8:42 pm

    Worked for years as a supplier/vendor to PCA, they are known as a ruthless company. No regard to safety. I have witnessed a lot of disrespect to OSHA with total disregard to their employees and suppliers.

    • clyatville pca on August 1, 2021 at 8:54 pm

      you sound like a disgruntled x vendor to me.
      all of PCA mills have spectacular safety records and yes accidents do happen. prayers for the family and friends..

  5. Peggy smith on August 1, 2021 at 3:59 am

    Praying for his family friends and co workers

  6. Jimmy Hurley on August 1, 2021 at 7:41 pm

    I bought my house in Stantonville and about a month later, Jesse had bought the property across the street from me. Soon he had, he and his wifes dream home built. Jesse, his wife and daughter were no doubt the best neighbors I ever had. Respectful and so helpful with anything I needed. Jesse was a family man and one of the good ones. His daughter was the light of his life. I watched as he taught her to drive the ATV. If he was home, she was rite there with him. His wife also one of the sweetest people Ive ever met in TN. I am completely brokenhearted for Jesse and his family. Again, you could not ask for a kinder more considerate young man. My heart and prayers go out to him and his family. God lead you home buddy, and peace be at your side.

  7. Scott Ireland on August 3, 2021 at 6:55 am

    My condolences and prayers to the family.

  8. Keven on August 4, 2021 at 9:20 am

    My condolences and prayers to the family. God be with his family and help them through this troubled time.

  9. David on August 4, 2021 at 7:43 pm

    I work in a cardboard recycling facility. I operate clamps and I also operate forklifts. Accidents do happen unfortunately but all we can do is have prayers and family and hope it doesn’t happen again. Safety is a number one thing in the workplace we need to be more careful about things. For those of you who think this could be a conspiracy I highly doubt it I’m not familiar with PCA but all I can say is don’t judge a book by its cover.

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