A United States Postal Service (USPS) employee died Saturday after becoming trapped inside a mail processing machine at a distribution center in Allen Park, Michigan, authorities said.

The victim was identified as Nicholas John Acker, 36, who worked as a maintenance operator at the Distribution Center. Detroit Post.

Hours Unfound

According to local news outlet WDIV, Acker remained trapped for several hours before he was found dead. His fiancee, Stephanie Jaszcz, alerted authorities after he failed to return home from his shift.

“We want to know what happened and how long he was there. We want to know how he got there and why no one knows where he was,” Jaszcz told the local station.

Firefighters believe he had been dead for six to eight hours before they arrived at the scene.

Investigation Ongoing

Authorities have ruled the death a workplace accident, though it has not yet been determined how Acker became trapped in the mail handling machine. These machines are used to sort and weigh mail, and the facility where the incident occurred houses large equipment.

The USPS issued a statement expressing condolences: “The United States Postal Service deeply regrets the loss of our employee at the Detroit Network Distribution Center (NDC) in Allen Park. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. The NDC is fully operational at this time.”

Family Criticism

The worker's fiancee strongly criticized the agency's response, pointing out the lack of humanity in the statement and the fact that Acker's name was not mentioned.

“'The mail keeps coming'? How disgusting! We are so sorry, but the mail keeps coming. They couldn't even say his name or acknowledge that he was an Air Force veteran. A man gone. A husband.”A human being. And all they can think of is that the mail keeps coming? Inhumane. It's disgusting,” said Jaszcz. Acker, in addition to being a USPS employee, had served in the U.S. Air Force, according to his fiancee. His family and colleagues are demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the accident and increased workplace safety controls within postal facilities.