Keith McAllister, 61, tragically died after being pulled violently into an MRI scanner at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, Long Island. The powerful magnetic field of the machine yanked him in because he was wearing a heavy 20-pound metal chain around his neck, which he used for weight training. The incident occurred shortly after his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, finished her own MRI and asked a technician to call her husband in to help her off the table.
Despite the obvious risk, the technician allowed McAllister to enter the MRI room while the scan was still active. Adrienne and her stepdaughter, Samantha Bodden, said the technician had previously seen and joked about the chain during earlier visits, yet failed to instruct him to remove it before entering. This critical safety breach led to McAllister being yanked into the machine, severely injured, and ultimately suffering multiple heart attacks before passing away.
McAllister’s wife described the horrifying moment she saw her husband being pulled in and going limp in her arms. She recalled pleading for someone to turn off the machine and call for emergency help. Both she and her stepdaughter hold the technician responsible for the tragedy, highlighting negligence and a failure to follow safety protocols designed to prevent such accidents.
Attempts to free McAllister before emergency responders arrived were unsuccessful, leaving him trapped against the scanner for nearly an hour. The Nassau County Police confirmed that he entered the MRI room while the scan was underway, which is strictly prohibited.
This heartbreaking event highlights the vital importance of strict safety measures and thorough screening procedures in MRI facilities. It serves as a tragic reminder that overlooking simple precautions can lead to devastating consequences.
