REDWOOD CITY, CA -- Local police and state officials continue to investigate the death of a Coastal Circuits employee who died last week in the factory.

In what Redwood City police Capt. Chris Cesena told local press "is still being deemed an industrial accident and a noncriminal matter," Fernando Jimenez Gonzalez, 18, died overnight on Sept. 22.

The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office is continuing to investigate, as is Cal-OSHA.

Initial police reports said the victim died after inhaling fumes and passing out into a vat of sulfuric acid. Those reports were disputed by a company spokeswoman, who said no such fumes were present in the factory. Further, the bath contained mostly rinse water, although some sulfuric acid was probably present, company officials told local reporters.

In 40 years of circuit board production, Coastal Circuits has never been cited by Cal-OSHA for safety violations.

The investigation could take two to three months, a Cal-OSHA spokeswoman said.

The local coroner's initial findings supported those of the police investigation.


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