A 61-year-old man died after being pulled into an active MRI machine while wearing a metal chain at a Long Island imaging center, in what officials have described as a tragic accident. Keith McAllister, who had accompanied his wife to Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York, entered the scanning suite on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, while the machine was in operation. He suffered severe injuries and died in hospital the following day.

According to authorities and eyewitness accounts, McAllister was wearing a weight-training chain around his neck when he stepped into the room. The magnetic resonance imaging machine — known for generating magnetic fields tens of thousands of times stronger than Earth’s — attracted the metal chain with immense force. His wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, who was present, said she immediately called for help and asked the clinic staff to shut off the device.

“I was begging them to stop the machine and call 911,” she recounted. “But by the time we got him out, he had already gone limp in my arms.”

McAllister was not a patient at the time of the incident. He had reportedly brought his wife to the facility as she underwent a scan and entered the room while the device was active. Emergency responders transported him to the hospital, but he was later pronounced dead. A preliminary investigation determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma and mechanical asphyxiation.

Nassau County Police stated there were “no signs of criminality” and have ruled the case an accident. However, the circumstances surrounding McAllister’s access to the scanning area while wearing metal have prompted renewed concerns over safety protocols at imaging facilities.

His wife noted that this was not the first time her husband had worn the chain while accompanying her during visits to the same clinic. “He’s worn it there before, and even discussed it with the staff. No one ever said it was a problem,” she said.

Medical guidelines for MRI environments stress the importance of controlled access to scanning rooms and rigorous screening to prevent metallic objects from entering areas where machines are in use. Objects as seemingly harmless as pens or coins can become dangerous projectiles in these settings.

Although accidental deaths involving MRI devices are rare, they are not without precedent. In 2001, a six-year-old boy was killed in a New York hospital after an oxygen tank was pulled into an MRI scanner during a procedure. The tank struck the child, causing fatal head injuries. That case led to intensified calls for improved safety standards and staff training across the country.

The recent incident has reignited those conversations. While the clinic has not issued an official statement, the situation is expected to draw attention from both state health officials and federal regulators responsible for monitoring diagnostic imaging facilities.

A spokesperson for local emergency services emphasized that incidents of this nature are “entirely preventable” through proper screening and strict procedural controls. “This is precisely why MRI safety protocols exist and need to be followed to the letter,” he said.

As of now, no charges have been filed, and the facility remains in operation. An internal review is reportedly underway to examine whether safety measures were adequately enforced and what changes, if any, may be needed to prevent future incidents.