The company stated that when water began to cover the parking lot and the adjacent service road and the plant lost power, employees were dismissed to go home.

Families began learning the grim news Monday that their loved ones were among the workers who did not survive when floodwaters from Hurricane Helene trapped them at a eastern Tennessee plastics factory.

At least five people have died in East Tennessee in the devastating Hurricane Helene floods. The number is expected to rise. Two deaths were confirmed Sept. 29 in Unicoi County an