The families of the 11 Tennessee plastics plant workers swept away by Hurricane Helene’s deadly floodwaters are demanding answers from the company after its officials claimed no flood warnings or alerts were issued before the start of the workers’ shift,

Surviving employees alleged Impact Plastics told them to be at work and released them too late to escape floodwaters; the company has said it did not threaten to fire anyone.

"We are going to prove to our region, to our state and to our nation, how strong a people we are," Erwin, Tennessee, Mayor Glenn White said.

The 56-year-old grandmother was one of 11 Tennessee plastics plant workers swept away by Hurricane Helene’s deadly floodwaters after they tried to leave the facility. Only five were rescued. Four people who worked at the Impact Plastics plant in Erwin are still missing,