Impact Plastics faces no criminal charges after employee deaths

ERWIN — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing in the deaths of six Impact Plastics employees during flooding from Helene in September 2024, according to state officials.District Attorney General Steven Finney released the findings in July after a monthslong investigation into allegations that management stopped workers from leaving the Erwin facility as floodwaters rose in the area.The investigation, which included interviews with nearly 30 witnesses and video evidence, determined that Impact Plastics CEO Gerald O'Connor dismissed employees at 10:35 a.m., leaving them enough time to evacuate the area, according to a news release. No charges have since been filed against the company or management, despite continued public outcry."Within these interviews [with witnesses], no evidence was established to substantiate the claim that the employees were told they were prohibited from leaving or threatened with termination for leaving as the floodwater rose," a news release from Finney stated.Allegations against O'Connor and Impact Plastics quickly spread across social media immediately after the flooding, stating that O'Connor and other management refused to allow employees to leave the facility in Unicoi County.The news release added that "attempts to interview other Impact Plastics employees were unsuccessful due to lack of cooperation or response." In a video released shortly after the incident, O'Connor promised to cooperate fully with investigators and also alleged that his family had received death threats over allegations.The claims moved Finney to request the TBI investigation in October, which led investigators to discover that employees had a window of slightly more than an hour to access evacuation routes, according to official accounts.The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration also conducted a parallel workplace safety investigation into the company's protocol, which concluded in April with similar findings. The case has since been closed with no further action planned.State officials declined to comment or provide further information about the incident. Civil actions by the families of the deceased are ongoing.