Cause Of Death Released In Wis. Food Elevator Incident, Investigation Continues
FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. (AP/WCCO) -- The chief investigator looking into the death of a Winona State University student at a western Wisconsin restaurant says he has not yet found a witness to explain how the woman ended up in a food elevator.
Fountain City Police Chief Jason Mork says he has interviewed about half of the customers and employees present at the WingDam Saloon and Grill Monday night and so far no one saw how the victim entered the dumbwaiter. The university has identified the student as 21-year-old Brooke Baures of Chetek, an employee of the restaurant.
Mork said that the food elevator functioned as it was designed to, and there's no indication that employees had ridden the food elevator in the past to travel between the first and second floors.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) told WCCO that they are now investigating the death as a preventable incident, saying workplace deaths are preventable and there are federal standards in place to prevent accidents like this.
OSHA has begun compliance inspections of the restaurant to see if there will be any possible citations. OSHA has six months from the time an inspection is opened to finish its report.
The Buffalo County Medical Examiner said Baures died from head trauma and said there were not injuries to other parts of her body. Authorities said at this point, her death appears to be accidental but the incident remains under investigation.
The Fountain City Police Department is attempting to identify all patrons and customers who were on the first floor to talk with them as witnesses.
Anyone who was on the first floor of the establishment between 6 and 8 p.m. is asked to call the Fountain City Police Department at 608-687-4214.
These people are not considered suspects. Police are only hoping to talk with them as witnesses to gain more information on the events that occurred.
The owner of the restaurant, Amanda Schabacker, said this was "a terrible accident" and the employees are all "suffering greatly." She could not talk about the investigation, but said the business is cooperating with authorities.
Schabacker added that the employees' hearts go out to the Baures' family and they are doing everything to help them.
The university is planning a vigil Wednesday night in honor of Baures, a senior and gymnast.
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