Restaurant manager dies after being trapped in US freezer

Manager Nguyet Le died after being trapped in the freezer of the restaurant she worked at in New Iberia, Louisiana.

Nguyet Le, 63, manager of an Arby's fast food chain restaurant, was found dead in a freezer on May 11. The body was discovered by Nguyen Le, Nguyet Le's son.

It is unclear how long Le had been in the freezer before she was found. The cause of death was hypothermia. When she was found, she was “hunched over, her hands covering her head, lying face down on the frozen floor,” according to court documents.

Ms. Le worked at an Arby's in Houston, Texas, but was asked by her boss to transfer to the New Iberia location in February. Nguyen also worked at Arby's and moved to New Iberia with her mother. She was supposed to stay in New Iberia for four weeks, but ended up working an extra two weeks.

Ms. Nguyet Le and her son Nguyen Le. Photo: NY Post — Ms. Nguyet Le and her son Nguyen Le. Photo: *NY Post*

Le's family lawyer said there appeared to be no foul play involved in her death, noting that temperatures inside the freezer can range from -20 to 5 degrees Celsius. Police said it was likely an accident.

A former Arby's employee told Le's family that the latch on the freezer door had been broken for months and that people often used a screwdriver to open it. That detail led Le's family to file a lawsuit this week against four entities: Arby's; Inspire Brands, Arby's parent company; Turbo Restaurant, the operator of the location where the accident occurred; and Sun Holdings, the franchise management company that owns Turbo Restaurant.

“She entered the freezer and the door closed behind her, trapping her inside. Her hands were covered in blood as she attempted to escape the freezer or attract attention,” the family’s lawsuit said.

According to the lawsuit, Ms. Le's family is asking for $1 million in compensation.

The family's lawyer said that when police arrived at the scene, an officer entered the freezer to check and also became trapped there, but was freed in time.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that people entering cold storage facilities wear warm clothing and non-slip shoes, and that businesses ensure that the floors of these facilities are not slippery. Employees should check the cold storage facilities regularly to ensure that no one is inside, and businesses should arrange for a method of opening the door from the inside. According to OSHA guidelines, employees under the age of 16 should not work in these cold storage facilities.

Huyen Le (According to CBS , NY Post , ABC )

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