A 61-year-old man was critically injured after a freak accident involving a large metal chain and an MRI machine on Long Island. FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg explains what happened and breaks down the dangers of MRIs. A 61-year-old man died after a metal chain around his neck was pulled into an MRI machine at a Long Island imaging center.
Police say the man entered the MRI room to assist a patient despite warnings from a technician not to go inside.
Investigators are reviewing safety protocols as experts stress the life-threatening risks posed by MRI machines’ powerful magnets.
NEW YORK – A 61-year-old man has died after a freak accident involving an MRI machine and a metal chain at a medical facility in Westbury, according to Nassau County Police.
The man reportedly entered the MRI room at Nassau Open MRI Wednesday afternoon to help a patient despite being advised not to by a technician.
The metal chain around his neck was pulled into the machine’s powerful magnetic field, triggering what police called a “medical episode.” He was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and later died.

A computer tomograph (CT) is located in a radiology . Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa (Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from the building.
“That’s insane. That should’ve never happened. It has to be someone’s responsibility,” said Orlando Hernandez, who works across the street.
Dig deeper:
Investigators are now trying to figure out exactly how the incident happened.
Melonie Longacre, VP of Operations at Northwell Health, said strict safety protocols are essential around MRIs , especially multizone procedures meant to prevent exactly this type of incident.
A computer tomograph (CT) is located in a radiology . Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa (Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Expand
Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from the building.
“That’s insane. That should’ve never happened. It has to be someone’s responsibility,” said Orlando Hernandez, who works across the street.
Dig deeper:
Investigators are now trying to figure out exactly how the incident happened.
Melonie Longacre, VP of Operations at Northwell Health, said strict safety protocols are essential around MRIs , especially multizone procedures meant to prevent exactly this type of incident.
“Zone I is just for awareness that there’s an MRI in the vicinity, Zone II is the patient screening zone where they get screened. Zone III is the post-screening zone, and Zone IV is the actual magnet room,” she said. “It’s important to be educated and safe.”
Longacre said Northwell’s MRI department is one of the most secure and potentially the most dangerous.
“The entire circle you see [in an MRI], it’s called a gantry. It’s a magnet. It’s huge. It’s very big and very powerful,” she explained.
What we don’t know:
Police have not identified the victim. Nassau Open MRI did not respond to FOX 5 NY‘s request for comment.