Grocery Store Worker Dies in Dough Mixer Accident: Wife’s Emotional Tribute

The pastry chef who died in a freak accident at his place of work has been named, with his wife sharing a heartbreaking tribute. Investigations on the tragedy are ongoing

A pastry worker has tragically died after getting caught in a bread-making machine at a grocery store, leaving his wife “lost” without the “love of her life”.

While officials are still working to figure out the exact details of the horror incident, Mordehay Grunberger, 71, has been named as the man who died. Police have confirmed that the man somehow got caught in the machinery at his place of work.

A longtime employee at the grocery store in question, where he’d worked as head pastry chef according to his personal Facebook page, it’s suspected Mordehay, known as ‘Miki’ to loved ones, fell into the mixer at around 4 am on Friday, January 16. However, police did not arrive at the scene until some eight hours later.

The tragedy occurred at the South Florida Kosher Market, North Miami Beach, in the US state of Florida. Sharing her heartbreak, Mordehay’s widow, Inna Gastman Maor, has described her beloved late husband as ‘the love of her life’.

READ MORE: Dad-of-two ‘suffocates to death’ in ICE detention centre after ‘five guards jump on him’

Taking to Facebook, grief-stricken Inna wrote: “Today, my beloved husband Miki, the closest person in my life, my best friend, and father of my two beautiful sons, tragically passed away! I lost myself. I love him so much. He’s the love of my life!”

In another moving post shared today (January 19), Inna spoke about saying her final goodbyes to her partner of 30 years, sharing a variety of family snaps from happier times. She wrote: “Today was Miki’s funeral, but I still don’t understand? I cannot imagine life without him!

“I love him so much, I miss him and miss his hugs, 30 years together and now what? I go over our albums and flashback with all memories coming to my mind! You didn’t came back that horrible Friday, when all nightmare started! I have to learn how to keep going?”

Tributes poured in for the baker, with many of Inna’s followers sharing their own fond memories of a man they remember as having a “noble heart”. One person commented: “He was a wonderful person and a great friend and in our hearts of all those that he touched their life in one way or another.” Another said: “We are so sorry for your loss. Your Miki was a great man, and we know how close you were to him. He will be missed by many.”

The Kosher grocer closed its doors on Friday after the harrowing death came to light, CBS Miami reports, while officers have not disclosed what led to the incident, which is being treated as accidental. According to ABC 6 South Florida, police said: “At this time, there are no signs of foul play, and we believe the incident was accidental involving an industrial dough mixer.”

With an investigation now underway, North Miami Beach Police has shared that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has also responded to the scene, as part of their own investigations.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]

READ MORE: Heartbroken mum left ‘terrified of water’ after daughter’s tragic sea death