Hurricane Helene left a devastating mark on the small Latino community that makes up a disproportionate number of workers at a plastics factory in Erwin, Tennessee. Six of its workers were swept away, four of them Mexican Americans. Loved ones and supporters have been gathering for vigils in front of churches, a high school and a grocery store to honor those lost. They question why Impact Plastics workers weren't told to leave the job sooner. Company President Gerald O’Connor says no employees were forced to keep working. He says they were evacuated at least 45 minutes before the massive force of the flood hit the industrial park.
