State labor officials are investigating the death of a Goldsboro man who was killed in a workplace accident at the Waukesha transformer manufacturing facility in Goldsboro in mid-December, raising fresh concerns about safety at a plant that recently received millions in state and local economic incentives.
The victim has been identified by family members and investigators as Cazale Barnes, a longtime employee of the facility. According to relatives, Barnes was a U.S. Army veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne Division and was known for his close bonds with family and his pride in his nephew.
What Happened in the Accident
Emergency responders were called to the plant on December 14, 2025, after a 911 caller reported that a worker was “crushed between the machines” and could not be freed. The exact sequence of events leading to the fatal injury has not yet been publicly disclosed, and the Department of Labor’s investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson for the Department confirmed that they are unable to comment further while the investigation continues.
Local authorities and state investigators are working together to determine both the immediate cause of Barnes’s death and whether systemic safety issues contributed to the accident. Investigators are expected to review training, equipment safeguards, machine lockout procedures, and employer compliance with workplace safety standards.
Company and Community Response
Officials with Prolec GE Waukesha — the company that operates the Goldsboro facility under the Waukesha name — have not publicly responded to repeated requests for comment on the incident, including questions about what, if any, changes have been made to safety procedures since the accident.
The accident has struck a chord in the Goldsboro community, where the plant is a major employer and a centerpiece of recent economic growth efforts. In May 2025, state and county officials approved economic incentives totaling millions of dollars to support the plant’s expansion and creation of hundreds of new jobs.
Safety History and Broader Issues
The Goldsboro facility — originally operating under the name SPX Transformer Solutions before being acquired by Prolec GE Waukesha — has a history of workplace fatalities dating back more than a decade, according to past reporting. Those past incidents have underscored ongoing concerns about safety in heavy manufacturing environments where workers handle large electrical equipment and complex machinery.
Barnes’s family is hopeful that the current investigation will bring answers and improvements so that similar tragedies can be prevented. “He always thought about others first,” his sister said, reflecting on her brother’s life and legacy.
Looking Forward
State labor officials are expected to release more information once the investigation is complete. In the meantime, the accident has renewed discussions among workers, unions, and occupational safety advocates about the need for robust safety practices in industrial workplaces — particularly in facilities undergoing expansion and rapidly increasing production.
