Worker Dies After Being Crushed by Machine at First Solar Facility in Ohio

A 28-year-old employee has died following a workplace accident at the First Solar manufacturing facility in Perrysburg Township, Ohio. The incident occurred early Monday morning, October 13, 2025, when the worker suffered fatal injuries while attempting to repair a malfunctioning machine.
According to Perrysburg Township Police, the accident took place shortly after midnight at the company’s site located at 28101 Cedar Park Boulevard.

“One of the machines quit working, and the gentleman went into the machine to fix it, and it started back up,”  said Police Chief Matt Gazarek, describing the sequence of events that led to the fatality.

The victim, identified by the Lucas County Coroner’s Office as Sy Doan, was struck and trapped when the machine unexpectedly restarted. Co-workers initiated CPR before police and emergency medical services arrived at approximately 12:06 a.m.
Despite the combined efforts of First Solar employees, police, and fire crews, Doan was pronounced dead after being transported to Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center.


Cause of Death

The coroner’s office reported that Sy Doan died from multiple blunt force injuries to the chest accompanied by compressive asphyxia. The death has been officially ruled an accident.
An autopsy was conducted Tuesday morning to confirm the findings.

“This appears to be an unfortunate workplace accident,” Chief Gazarek said.

Company Statement and Investigation

In a statement issued later that day, First Solar expressed condolences and confirmed that all relevant authorities had been notified.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss and extend our heartfelt condolences to our associate’s family, friends, and coworkers. Out of respect for those affected and to ensure the integrity of any ongoing investigations, we are not sharing further details at this time,”  the company said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been notified and is expected to lead an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.


Facility Background

First Solar operates one of the largest solar panel manufacturing facilities in North America, employing hundreds of workers at its Perrysburg Township campus. The plant produces advanced photovoltaic modules used in utility-scale solar energy systems.
The company has not released information on whether production was halted in the affected area following the accident.