Cause still unknown following death of FedEx employee at Memphis hub

More details are emerging regarding the death of a FedEx employee last week in the early-morning hours of Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, at the integrator’s Memphis International Airport (MEM) hub.

Authorities have now identified the FedEx employee as Ellen Gladney. Local media outlet WATN reported that police were called to the airport shortly after 12:30 a.m., responding to an accidental injury. Upon arrival, police found Gladney under a motorized conveyer belt system that was unloading one of FedEx’s 777 freighters.

FedEx released a statement following the incident that read: “Words cannot convey the sadness we feel over the loss of our team member in an accident at the Memphis hub.  Our prayers are with our colleague’s family, friends, and co-workers.”

The state of Tennessee’s investigation into the as-yet-unknown cause of the accident could take up to ten weeks to complete.

Scott Brockman, president and CEO of the airport, told local media that, “We at the Memphis International Airport are deeply saddened by the news of the fatal accident that occurred at the FedEx hub early this morning. Our hearts go out to this employee’s family, friends and co-workers.”

Gladney is the third FedEx worker to be killed in an accident at the Memphis hub in the past 40 months.