New details on the Smithfield worker tragedy

Crete Fire & Rescue reported that Israel Benitez was trapped under the debris pile for 4-5 hours before they found his body

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN)- A Smithfield employee in Crete was killed in a workplace accident this weekend, new information from Crete Fire & Rescue reveals that the victim, 33-year-old Israel Benitez, was trapped under the debris pile for 4-5 hours before they found his body.

SEE ALSO: Employee killed in accident at Smithfield Foods in Crete

Crete Fire & Rescue were called to Smithfield’s Distribution Center on Saturday on a report that a shelving unit had collapsed.

First on the scene was Chief Allen, who then reported finding an approximately 300′ long and 50′ tall storage rack with pallets of frozen pork products that had collapsed into a tall, unstable pile.

Employees told authorities that one person was missing from the work area.

Another employee was injured in the accident and taken to a Lincoln hospital.

Authorities say that it took them 4-5 hours for Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) canines and a specialized camera to find Benitez under the debris pile.

Crete Fire & Rescue say that there were no signs of life detected in Benitez once they found him.

Structural engineers with Nebraska Task Force 1 were brought in to make a plan to recover the victim and ensure safety for the responders. After a laborious effort, Crete Fire & Rescue reported that the incident concluded at 11 a.m. on Monday.

SEE ALSO: EXCLUSIVE: Friends mourn death of Smithfield employee killed in workplace accident