BROOKLYN (JTA) – A worker at a beloved Brooklyn kosher bakery known for its black-and-white cookies was found dead inside a walk-in freezer there early Thursday morning, police said.
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The death of Mahamadou Dansago, 33, at Beigel’s on Avenue D appears to have been an accident. An immigrant father of five from Mali, Dansago got caught in rotating blades of the machine while working in the freezer and appeared to have been locked inside for some five hours, the New York Daily News reported.
“Upon arrival, officers observed a 33-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive, found in a walk-in freezer at the above location,” police said. “EMS responded and pronounced [Dansago] deceased at the scene.”
“The investigation is ongoing,” police added.
The Daily News reported that Dansago, recently hired, was found dead inside the freezer by his colleagues who were arriving for work.
Beigel’s manager David Greenberger, speaking to reporters outside the store, said that “we are devastated by the loss of our employee in this accident.”
“The family has been notified and we have extended our deepest condolences to them,” Greenberger said. “This is an ongoing situation and we are cooperating with all investigations.”
Greenberger added that grief counselors came to the site to support the family and employees.
Beigel’s was founded in 1934 by Israel Beigel in his hometown of Krakow, Poland. After surviving the Nazi occupation, family members came in 1949 to America, where they opened a bakery on the Lower East Side and quickly became famous for challah, rugelach and their signature black-and-white cookie. Over the years the business moved to Williamsburg and Clinton Hill before settling in Canarsie in 2015.
Beigel’s is certified kosher by OK Kosher. Ok Kosher did not respond to a request for comment.
“Beigel’s is certified kosher by OK Kosher. Ok Kosher did not respond to a request for comment.”
Huh? What? Why should they respond? They had nothing to do with this. Are you stam trying to besmirch the kashrus agency?
Why bring the OK into this? What’s the relevance?!
Maybe add “Beigels is under the New York health department. The health department didn’t respond to a request for comment”
Ridiculous!
Need better safety regulations!!!
Terrible tragedy!
Kashrus agency has NOTHING to do safety!!!
It also has a satmar hechsher, why don’t they write that?
horrific! what a painful death… condolences to the family and friends. can there be emergency button placed in there?? like the one in the elevators.
No, it is not Chabad owned.
It’s chabad owned?