A beloved father died after suffering a horrific workplace accident when he was trapped in a chemical mixer.
Jose Fernando Partida, 57, was working at a manufacturing plant at Gowan Milling in Yuma, Arizona on January 4.
He was cleaning inside the mixer when one of his colleagues got in and turned the machine on, his son Omar Partida told AZ Family.
His co-worker was able to escape but Partida was stuck inside for five hours, left begging for help and suffering through horrific pain.
An industrial chemical mixer acts like a massive blender, combining different liquids, solids and gases to create new materials.
The plant handles dangerous materials, meaning emergency services had to engage in a complicated response to the accident including using protective hazmat suits.
'Upon arrival, crews established incident command, secured the area, and implemented safety protocols to protect both responders and facility personnel,' a spokesperson from Rural Metro Fire said.
'Power to affected areas was isolated, air monitoring was conducted, and precautionary measures were taken to address potential exposure concerns. Technical rescue resources were utilized to assist with a complex extrication.'
Omar said his father was unconscious and hospitalized with broken ribs, a broken leg and arm, and bruising all over his body before he succumbed to his injuries on January 10.
Jose Fernando Partida, 57, died one week after he got trapped in a chemical mixer while working at a manufacturing plant
Jose was cleaning the chemical mixer at Gowan Milling (pictured) in Yuma, Arizona, on January 4 when a colleague accidentally turned the machine on, trapping him inside
'The sad thing is the time that he was there and that he was begging,' Omar told the local news station.
'I was imagining all the pain that he was passed through and all that stuff. I imagine it's just to be there for five hours and hold all the pain. I don't think my dad deserved all that.'
Gowan Milling confirmed the incident and said the company had a commitment to safety in a statement shared with AZ Family.
'We immediately enacted our emergency response protocol upon learning of this employee's injury, including calling emergency medical professionals and other first responders,' Gowan Milling wrote.
'Emergency responders provided medical care to our employee on the scene and transported him to the hospital by ambulance. We also worked closely with first responders to secure the area surrounding the incident.
'Unfortunately, the employee passed away in the hospital due to his injuries on January 10.'
The manufacturing company sent its condolences to Jose's family and said it is cooperating with investigations into the incident.
'We are deeply saddened by the loss of our employee, and our thoughts and most sincere sympathies are extended to his family at this time,' Gowan Milling wrote.
'The safety of our employees is our first priority, and we are conducting an investigation into this incident. We also are continuing to cooperate with local law enforcement and regulatory agencies.'
The Industrial Commission of Arizona told the Daily Mail that the incident is under investigation, a process that typically takes four to five months.
Omar described Jose as a man who loved helping people and playing sports. He said his father played soccer and was a Los Angeles Rams fan.
'He always was trying to help us and anything that we had the problems, he was there,' Omar said.
'And he always have an answer for me. Now that he's not here, it's like, I don't know. It's like, because it was just me, my sister and him.'
'He always called me to let me know about soccer and about football.'
A GoFundMe has been launched to help the family cover funeral and transportation costs.
'Jose was a joyful, loving man who brought people together. He loved life, music, dancing, soccer, and above all, his family,' the fundraiser said.
Daily Mail contacted Gowan Milling and the Yuma County Sheriff's Office for comment.