Freak MRI accident: Man wearing metal chain critically injured on Long Island

Freak MRI accident: Man wearing metal chain critically injured on Long Island

A 61-year-old man was critically injured after a freak accident involving a large metal chain and an MRI machine on Long Island. FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg explains what happened and breaks down the dangers of MRIs.

NEW YORK - A 61-year-old man was critically injured after a freak accident involving a large metal chain and an MRI machine on Long Island.

See an updated version of this story here.

What we know:

According to the Nassau County Police Department, the accident happened Wednesday afternoon at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury. The man reportedly went into the room to assist a patient getting out of the MRI against the technician's advice. 

The chain around his neck "caused him to be drawn into the machine, which resulted in a medical episode." He was taken to the hospital and was listed in critical condition. 

Witnesses described seeing smoke coming from the back of the building.

"That’s insane. That should’ve never happened. It has to be someone’s responsibility," said Orlando Hernandez, who works across the street.

MRI dangers: How did this happen?

Dig deeper:

Signage inside the building warns people not to enter. Investigators are working to figure out how and why this happened.

Melonie Longacre, VP of Operations at Northwell Health, explained MRI safety protocols, emphasizing the importance of multizone procedures to ensure safety around the powerful magnet.

"Zone I is just for awareness that there’s an MRI in the vicinity, Zone II is the patient screening zone where they get screened. Zone III is the post-screening zone, and Zone IV is the actual magnet room," she said. "It’s important to be educated and safe."

Longacre said Northwell's MRI department is one of the most secure and potentially the most dangerous. Employees undergo intensive annual training and follow a strict multizone protocol before anyone gets near the machine.

"The entire circle you see [in an MRI], it's called a gantry. It's a magnet. It's huge. It's very big and very powerful," she explained.

What we don't know:

Police have not identified the victim. Nassau Open MRI did not respond to FOX 5 NY's request for comment.