Sadly, a 61-year-old gentleman lost his life when his substantial metal necklace chain got caught in an MRI machine, as reported by Nassau County police on Friday. This accident, which is very similar to what you may have seen in the recent installment of Final Destination, happened at approximately 4:30 pm on July 16th at the Nassau Open MRI facility in Westbury, New York.
According to a police statement, a man (his name hasn’t been shared with the public yet) went into the MRI room while a scan was happening, with a “large metallic chain” hanging around his neck. The MRI’s magnetic pull, which is about 60,000 times stronger than the one we feel from the Earth, yanked him right into the machine.
This poor guy had an awful “medical episode” instantly, and they had to rush him to the hospital, which was close by.
He was in serious condition, and sadly, he passed away the day after, at about 2:36 in the afternoon.
They also said that the rather unlucky man in question didn’t even have the permission to enter the MRI room while it was running. Right now, they’re looking into how this security and procedure mistake happened.
MRI machines help doctors figure out what’s going on inside our bodies without cutting us open.
But with great power comes great responsibility.
These things are so strong that they use intense magnets and radio waves to peek at soft tissues. The magnets are so strong that any metal nearby can turn into a deadly missile, which is why the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering says that even something as big as a wheelchair or an oxygen tank can get pulled across the room.
A man who was sucked into an MRI machine at a Long Island medical office because he was wearing a metal chain as a scan was in progress has died from his injuries, according to policehttps://t.co/2XfEQkLfna
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) July 18, 2025
Dr. Payal Sud, who works at North Shore University Hospital, talked to WCBS-TV about how serious it is when people don’t follow the MRI rules. She mentioned “strangulation injuries, (…) asphyxiation, cervical spine injuries” can happen.
She said it’s essential to pay attention to safety because otherwise, things can go wrong really fast.
So, when you’re around one of these machines, remember to follow the safety steps.
Ferromagnetic metals like iron are strongly attracted to the magnet. This can turn any metal object into a projectile, posing a serious risk to patient safety. Even small metal objects can be pulled towards the MRI machine with great force.pic.twitter.com/n1TtxPfhWl
— Physics In History (@PhysInHistory) January 16, 2024
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened.
Back in 2001, in New York, there was a terrible incident where a 6-year-old boy lost his life when an oxygen tank was accidentally brought into an MRI scanner. In 2018, a man in India faced a similar tragic fate.
Nassau Open MRI, which provides both closed and open MRI scans, has yet to make any public statements about this.
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