Workers ‘Walk Out’ of Smithfield Plant After Employee Dies

Dozens of workers left a Smithfield Foods plant in Illinois after a 44-year-old employee died in an overnight workplace accident — as federal safety officials launched an investigation into what happened.

Patou M. Mpinda, 44, of Monmouth, died at approximately 2:31 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, at Smithfield’s pork-processing facility in Monmouth, according to Warren County Coroner Al McGuire.

McGuire told local station WGIL that Mpinda’s death is believed to be work-related, although an official cause of death has not yet been determined and toxicology testing remains pending.

The Peoria Journal Star reported that Mpinda was found by a maintenance crew that had been searching for him inside the facility. Smithfield has described what happened as a “fatal workplace accident,” but authorities have not publicly released details explaining exactly how Mpinda was injured.

Smithfield said its safety personnel were working alongside local authorities following the tragedy.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm the loss of a team member who was fatally injured in a workplace incident,” the company said in a statement provided to KWQC. Smithfield also said its thoughts and prayers were with Mpinda’s family.

But what happened after the death reportedly left some employees deeply upset.

One unidentified worker told KWQC that employees received a text message at about 5:30 a.m. informing them of a delayed start.

According to the employee, workers who arrived around 7:30 a.m. learned that a coworker had died and found other employees crying and visibly shaken.

The worker claimed management planned to resume production, prompting some employees to question why the facility was operating so soon after the death.

He estimated that at least 100 employees ultimately left the plant and said African employees helped organize what he characterized as a walkout. KWQC has not independently confirmed that number.

Smithfield offered a different characterization of what happened.

The company told KWQC that workers had been informed they were free to take the day off because of the circumstances and that some employees chose to do so.

“We told them we understood that this is difficult and that taking the day off was an option for them,” Smithfield said.

That means it remains unclear whether the departures amounted to a formally