A chilling new report is sending shockwaves across the country after workers claimed they were ordered to keep working — and even told to “turn around and not look” — while a coworker lay dead on the floor of an Amazon warehouse.
The alleged horror unfolded April 6 inside a massive facility in Troutdale, Oregon, where employees say a man collapsed and remained lifeless for over an hour as operations continued around his body like nothing had happened.
Instead of rushing to help, workers say management issued a cold command: keep moving.
“Just turn around and not look. Let’s get back to work,” a supervisor allegedly told stunned employees, according to The Western Edge, which first broke the story.
One worker, identified as “Sam,” described the moment he realized something was terribly wrong. A coworker had already rushed in and begun performing CPR, desperately trying to bring the man back.
Sam, who says he’s trained in CPR, broke down and begged to step in.
“I started sobbing and said, ‘I want to help, please!’ I know she’s going to get tired,” he recalled.
But instead of being allowed to help save a life, he says he was shut down.
His supervisor — reportedly emotional himself — allegedly told him only designated staff could assist and repeated the order to go back to work… and not look.
As a man fought for his life on the ground, employees claim they were forced to carry on just feet away.
First responders eventually arrived and sealed off the area, but workers say the damage was already done — not just physically, but mentally.
“Between being told to keep working while someone is getting CPR and being told not to help, I just can’t support a corporation like that,” Sam said. “We are just numbers.”
Another employee said the moment destroyed any remaining trust in leadership.
“It makes me feel ashamed to work there. Someone can drop dead and we’re expected to just carry on like it doesn’t matter,” they said.
The disturbing claims come as Amazon faces growing criticism over working conditions, with mounting fears that employees are increasingly treated as expendable — especially as automation threatens to replace tens of thousands of jobs.
Amazon has since responded, saying it is “deeply saddened” by the worker’s death and that support, including grief counselors, was provided. The company also said operations were eventually shut down and that the death was ruled non-work related.
But for those inside that warehouse, the haunting image of a lifeless coworker — and the order to ignore him — may be impossible to forget.
Because for many, this wasn’t just a tragedy.
It was a glimpse into what they say is a system where the work never stops… even when someone does.
Creeping up to “Soylent Green”
I also worked in a place like that. The joke was to make sure to clock off before you die as they weren’t going to pay for dead time.
I say, “close Amazon for a year of mourning.” (But keep Prime going for Thursday Night Football.)
That is so wrong, I would have quit and helped the poor guy.
I would have done like Anonymous, who needs to work at a heartless dump like this! Needs to be reported!
If it was one of their clankers everything would have stopped.