Man who was pulled into MRI machine has died, police say
NEW YORK – A man who was critically injured on July 16 after he entered an MRI room on Long Island, New York, and was pulled into the machine by his chain necklace died the next day, authorities said on J uly 18.
The man, who was 61, was wearing a 'large metallic chain' around his neck when he entered the room at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York, at 4.34pm local time on July 16 (4.34am on July 17, Singapore time), according to the Nassau County Police Department.
The man, whom police did not name, did not have authorisation to enter the room, police said. Being pulled into the machine made him have a medical episode, they said, without offering additional details.
He was taken to a hospital, where he died at 2.36pm on J uly 17 , authorities said.
Nassau County police said in a news release on J uly 18 that the investigation into the episode was continuing. A spokesperson for the department said that no other information was available.
Nassau Open MRI did not respond to a request for comment.
Magnetic resonance imaging machines use magnets and radio frequency currents to produce detailed anatomical images.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore S'pore sees no baby boom in Year of the Dragon despite slight rise in births in 2024
Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore
Singapore 'I thought it was an April Fool's joke': Teen addicted to Kpods on news that friend died
Asia Cool photo spots, viral food videos: Malaysia plans to woo Chinese tourists via social media
Asia From propaganda to passion: N. Korean TV show mimics K-drama to fend off banned media from the South
Singapore 314 suicides reported in Singapore in 2024, remains leading cause of youth deaths
Singapore New auto pet wash service in Buona Vista draws flak, but firm stands by its safety
Life US tech firm launches probe into Coldplay 'kiss cam' couple after clip goes viral
The magnetic force of an MRI machine is strong enough to fling a wheelchair across a room, according to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. Patients are advised to remove jewelry and piercings before entering an MRI machine, and people with some medical implants, particularly those containing iron, should not undergo MRI scans, the institute said.
Injuries and deaths involving MRI machines have occurred in the past. In 2001, a 6-year-old boy died when a metal oxygen tank was pulled into a machine while he was undergoing a scan.
A man died in India in 2018 when he entered an MRI room while carrying an oxygen tank. In 2023, a nurse in California was crushed and needed surgery after she was pinned between an MRI machine and a hospital bed that had been pulled toward the machine by the machine's magnetic force.
Nassau Open MRI offers closed and open MRI scans, according to its website. An open MRI involves a machine that is open at the sides rather than a closed tube. NYTIMES
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Teen seen falling over in MRT train found with vape and pod, assisting HSA with investigations, Singapore News
A teenager who was caught in a viral clip appearing dazed and falling over in an MRT train was found with an e-vaporiser and a pod, according to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). He is currently assisting HSA with investigations. In a clip posted to the Singapore Incidents Instagram account on Aug 1, the teenager, dressed in a white T-shirt and shorts, appears unsteady as he gets up from the seat and walks towards the MRT door. He falls backwards as he tries to exit, landing on the floor and startling other passengers, one of whom can be heard asking him, "Are you okay?" In an Instagram Story posted the same day, HSA stated that it had identified a 17-year-old who was "found with an e-vaporiser and a pod", and that the teenager was currently assisting with investigations. A statement by SMRT Trains' president Lam Sheau Kai to AsiaOne said that SMRT is aware of the video circulating on social media which alleged "the use of an etomidate-laced vape by a male commuter". The statement added that station staff was able to locate the commuter who was observed to be vaping. He was escorted out of the train and handed over to the authorities. SMRT has also issued a notice of offence to the individual for flouting regulations. "We take such illegal behaviour very seriously and strongly encourage commuters who encounter similar situations to report them," said Lam. AsiaOne has reached out to HSA for more information. Rising number of cases Electronic or e-vaporisers, also known as vapes, are devices that vaporise a liquid solution to be inhaled. They are known to contain harmful chemicals such as fine particulate matter (PM), cancer-causing agents like carbonyls and volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde and benzene, according to HSA's website. Drug-laced vapes, known as 'Kpods', have been gaining popularity in Singapore over the past year, CNA reported on July 12. These pods have been found to contain the anaesthetic etomidate. Some may also contain ketamine, another anaesthetic that has hallucinogenic properties. Videos of vape users turning into "zombies" and behaving erratically in public have also been surfacing online. CNA's report also stated that HSA had detected 28 cases involving etomidate this year — almost three times the 10 cases detected in 2024. A joint statement by the HSA and Ministry of Health on May 16 stated that more than 17,900 people were caught for possession and use of e-vaporisers between January 2024 and March 2025. Etomidate was also detected in the blood samples of two people involved in a fatal road accident in Punggol Road in May, HSA said in a statement on July 25. Etomidate is currently listed under the Poisons Act but will soon be reclassified as a Class C drug by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Misuse of Drugs Act. This means that users can be subjected to supervision and mandatory participation in a rehabilitation programme or committed to drug rehabilitation centres, similar to what drug abusers undergo. Coordinating Minister for National Security & Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said on July 30 that the reclassification is an "interim measure", while the Ministry of Health (MOH) conducts further studies to form legislation regarding etomidate and related substances. [[nid:720579]] candicecai@
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
HSA investigating teen who was observed to be allegedly vaping in MRT train
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox On Aug 1, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the 17-year-old was found with a vape in his possession and is assisting with investigations. SINGAPORE – A teenager who was filmed walking unsteadily inside an MRT train was observed to have been allegedly vaping by station staff. A 15-second clip posted on Reddit on July 31 showed the teen, who appeared to be in a daze, stumbling towards the train doors before falling b ackward s. In response to a Straits Times query, SMRT, which runs the North-South, East-West, Circle and Thomson-East Coast lines as well as the Bukit Panjang LRT line, said it is aware of the video which allegedly showed the use of Kpods, or etomidate-laced vapes, by the teen. 'Our station staff was able to locate the male commuter who was observed to be vaping, escorted him out of our train and handed him over to the authorities,' said Mr Lam Sheau Kai, president of SMRT Trains. 'We have also issued a notice of offence to this individual for flouting the rules. The notice generally requires the recipient to pay a composition penalty within a stated period. SMRT did not provide details of the MRT station and line linked to the incident. On Aug 1, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the 17-year-old was found with a vape in his possession and is assisting with investigations. Etomidate is classified as a poison and regulated under the Poisons Act. It has clinical use as an anaesthetic agent, and is permitted only in clinical settings and subject to strict conditions. Experts who spoke to ST said etomidate has been known to cause a type of muscle spasm called myoclonus, which patients may describe as tremors. Symptoms of etomidate overdose can surface in unsteadiness, sluggishness and mental confusion. Said Mr Lam: 'We take such illegal behaviour very seriously and strongly encourage commuters who encounter similar situations to report them.' On July 30, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam announced that officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be seconded to beef up HSA's enforcement efforts against etomidate-related offences. MHA is expected to list etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in the coming weeks as an interim measure, as the Ministry of Health continues to study further legislative action against Kpod offenders. If etomidate is listed as a Class C drug, users can be subjected to supervision and mandatory participation in a rehabilitation programme or committed to drug rehabilitation centres, like what drug abusers undergo. Those who reoffend or commit other serious offences can also be jailed for at least a year. To report vaping-related offences, call the HSA hotline on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, including on public holidays. The public can also do so online at
Singapore Law Watch
5 days ago
- Singapore Law Watch
MHA to support HSA's crackdown on Kpod abusers and help in treatment of offenders: Shanmugam
MHA to support HSA's crackdown on Kpod abusers and help in treatment of offenders: Shanmugam Source: Straits Times Article Date: 31 Jul 2025 Author: Andrew Wong As an interim measure, the Ministry of Home Affairs will list etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, while it continues to support the Ministry of Health as it decides on further legislative actions to take against Kpod offenders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will second its officers to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to tackle the scourge of etomidate-laced vaporisers, also known as Kpods. On July 30, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said this comes after a request for assistance from the Ministry of Health (MOH). Speaking to the media on the sidelines of an SGSecure event, Mr Shanmugam said officers from his ministry will assist HSA with enforcement efforts, including the supervision, treatment and rehabilitation of etomidate abusers. Mr Shanmugam, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, said: 'The cases you hear about are distressing. The abusers of etomidate lose control of themselves, they put themselves in dangerous positions. They become vulnerable. They become zombies.' He said that as an interim measure, MHA will list etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), while his ministry continues to support MOH as it decides on further legislative actions to take against Kpod offenders. This comes after Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on July 20 that MOH and MHA were working together to list etomidate under the MDA. Mr Ong had said the interim measure will be enacted in the coming weeks. Etomidate is classified as a poison and regulated under the Poisons Act. It has clinical use as an anaesthetic agent, and is permitted only in clinical settings and subject to strict conditions. Under this law, abusers face only a fine. Sellers face possible jail time of up to two years. If etomidate is listed as a Class C drug, users can be subjected to supervision and mandatory participation in a rehabilitation programme or committed to drug rehabilitation centres, like what drug abusers undergo. Those who reoffend or commit other serious offences can also be jailed for at least a year. Mr Shanmugam drew parallels between etomidate abuse and drug abuse, pointing to a report in The Sunday Times on July 27 of a mother lamenting her son's addiction to Kpods. Mr Shanmugam said: 'She feels helpless and feels there is no way for her to help her son. Now, this is the damage that vapes laced with etomidate have done within just a short period. This is not just one story. There are many such instances. 'For drugs, the consequences if we take a light approach will be multiplied several fold compared with what you are seeing with etomidate.' Mr Shanmugam said that many ambassadors, foreign ministers and activist groups have told him that Singapore's drug laws are harsh and that the Republic's approach is wrong. Tough measures But he defended Singapore's tough stance. He said: 'Whose streets are safer? Where do parents feel that they can bring up their children in safety? So I tell them, look, you look after yourselves. We (will) look after Singaporeans, and Singaporeans support our policies.' Mr Shanmugam said enforcement and awareness efforts surrounding Kpods may be similar to how MHA deals with hard drugs, adding that such efforts could start in schools and with parents, as vape users are starting the habit at a younger age. He said: 'Our public education on drugs also starts very young and this is something we will have to discuss with MOH, and MOH will have to decide how they want to bring it across and how they want to do the public education for young children.' Several teachers recently told ST how schools were grappling with vapes, with offenders starting the habit in primary schools. Both ministries had told ST on July 12 that they were considering enhancing laws around vaping, to tackle the scourge. Between January 2024 and March 2025, HSA had seized more than $41 million worth of vapes and their components. On July 20, Mr Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, had said Kpods made up a third of more than 100 randomly tested seized vapes. He said several deaths here, including from traffic accidents and unnatural deaths, have been linked to etomidate. On July 25, HSA said two people involved in a fatal road accident in Punggol Road tested positive for etomidate in their blood samples. The pair were in a car that collided with a bus at about 2.50pm on May 13. They had 42 e-vaporisers and more than 1,200 pods in the vehicle, with some containing etomidate. The 30-year-old male driver is assisting with investigations. His passenger, a 28-year-old woman, died in hospital. The authorities have recently increased efforts to tackle the vaping crisis. On July 9, MOH and HSA issued a circular to public healthcare institutions, telling them to record all suspected and confirmed etomidate-linked vaping cases and to get patients to surrender their vapes. On July 16, HSA said it had taken down more than 600 Telegram groups advertising or selling vapes and Kpods to Singaporeans since April 2024. And on July 25, the Bin The Vape initiative was launched. Vape disposal bins were installed at 23 community clubs and one residents' network centre, where users can throw away the devices without fear of punishment. To report vaping-related offences, call the HSA reporting hotline on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, including on public holidays. The public can do so online at If you have a story to share about vapes, e-mail us at [email protected] Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
