Carolina Franks: North Carolina car wash employee died after getting trapped in machinery

WEAVERVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: A North Carolina car wash employee died Saturday, January 13, after she became trapped in machinery, according to police.

In a press release, the Weaverville Police Department said that authorities responded to Zips Car Wash at 1 Gill Road in Weaverville just after 6.30 pm local time for a report of a traumatic brain injury involving a car wash worker.

"Upon arrival, first responders located the victim, later identified as 26-year-old Carolina Franks of Buncombe County, where she had apparently become entrapped in equipment located within the car wash," the department added. "The victim was pronounced dead at the scene."

ZIPS Corporate issued a statement after Franks' tragic demise

Sarah Elizabeth, a spokesperson for ZIPS Corporate, expressed in a statement that the company extends its condolences to the family of their team member during this difficult time, as reported by ABC affiliate WLOS.

"This is such an unfortunate tragedy," Elizabeth continued. "We are working with local authorities and the North Carolina Department of Labor OSHA throughout the investigation, and our Weaverville site will remain closed at this time."

The North Carolina Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Division, which is leading the investigation, confirmed that a probe into the facility has been opened, but there is no further information at this time.

Franks was not scheduled to work

Franks' grandmother Ernestine told the Ashville Citizen-Times that Carolina wasn't scheduled to work a shift at the car wash but filled in when another employee canceled. The exact cause of her death is not clear as of now. 

In an interview with WLOS, Ernestine recounted a conversation she had with Carolina's boyfriend's father. Authorities informed him that the victim was "working at the car wash, cleaning, and she got tangled up in a piece of equipment."

"When they found her, she was already dead," recounted the grandmother, who had raised the victim since she was 6 years old.

In Carolina's obituary, the 26-year-old was remembered as "a very cheerful and happy person." The tribute highlighted that everyone enjoyed being around her and described her as a bright light in the lives of many. The funeral is scheduled for Friday.

ZIPS Car Wash is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and is the largest privately held car wash operator nationwide.

A news release on Business Wire says the company expanded its North Carolina car wash operations in 2022. The company’s corporate website states Zips has more than 230 stores across the nation