MAGNETIC MAYHEM Ends in Tragedy!
A 61-year-old man died after an MRI machine violently pulled him into its core while he was still wearing a heavy metal chain, exposing a catastrophic safety lapse at a New York imaging center.
At a Glance
• Incident occurred on July 16 at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York
• Man entered active MRI room wearing a 20-lb metal chain
• The magnetic field yanked the chain, causing traumatic injuries
• He died the next day after suffering multiple cardiac arrests
• Investigation focuses on protocol failure and possible liability
Magnetic Execution
What began as a standard outpatient imaging visit turned into a fatal ordeal when a Long Island man entered an active MRI room while still wearing a thick, weighted exercise chain. The high-powered scanner’s magnetic field instantly pulled the metallic object—and the man—into the machine’s bore with devastating force.
The patient, 61-year-old Jeffrey Mollengarden, sustained severe trauma and collapsed on-site. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries less than 24 hours later after repeated heart attacks. Hospital officials and family attorneys have confirmed that no defibrillator or medical emergency procedures were initiated at the scene.
Watch now: Police: Man pulled into MRI machine by necklace · YouTube
MRI machines produce magnetic fields up to 60,000 times stronger than Earth’s, meaning even moderately sized metal objects become lethal projectiles. Experts have described this particular scenario—a conscious patient entering mid-scan while wearing a chain—as one of the most preventable MRI-related fatalities on record.
Failure to Screen, Failure to Act
According to preliminary reports, the man was allowed to enter the MRI suite unaccompanied and unscreened, even as the scan was already in progress. Investigators are probing whether the technician on duty violated standard safety procedures, which mandate a multi-step metal screening process and full patient supervision.
The necklace in question, a 20-pound weighted fitness chain, wrapped around the magnet’s core, damaging the machine and delaying further scans indefinitely. Safety advocates argue that signage, screening, and physical barriers were either insufficient or disregarded entirely.
Internal documents from Nassau Open MRI are now under review by state and federal health agencies, and the employee on duty has reportedly been placed on leave pending investigation.
National Alarm Over Deadly Oversight
This incident has reignited calls for stricter regulation of diagnostic imaging centers, especially non-hospital outpatient facilities. Radiology professionals note that while MRI injuries are rare, they are always violent and often completely avoidable through routine checks.
Family members of the deceased have since retained legal counsel, describing the event as “a wholly preventable nightmare.” National radiology associations have issued statements urging all clinics to retrain staff and re-verify physical safeguards.
With public pressure mounting and legal scrutiny intensifying, the tragic death in Westbury may mark a turning point in how radiological safety is managed across the country.