A Yale University senior died last night during a freak accident in a chemistry lab. According to the New Haven Register, Michele Dufault was working on her senior thesis project when "hair got caught in a lathe, a piece of machinery that spins very quickly, and it pulled her in, sources said." The New Haven fire department responded to an emergency called in at 2:33 a.m. and found Dufault with no pulse.
Yale's University Secretary Linda Lorimer sent an e-mail to the Yale community, "By all reports, Michele was an exceptional young woman, an outstanding student and young scientist, a dear friend and a vibrant member of this community. We will find ways in the next day to gather to celebrate her life and grieve this loss."
The Yale Daily News reports, "As the police investigation gets underway, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration has opened an investigation into whether the lab is in compliance with federal safety regulations, OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said. OSHA sent an investigator to the scene today; the investigation, Fitzgerald said, could last as little as a few weeks or as long as six months, but he added that it is too early to establish a timetable. Because both students and University employees use the machine shop, the incident falls under OSHA's jurisdiction, Fitzgerald said."
Massachusetts native was set to graduate next month; her grandfather said, "She was a living saint. She was a good, smart girl."
