A guy from Long Island was pulled inside an MRI scanner on Wednesday (July 16), leaving him in a severe condition.

According to Nassau County police, the event occurred at an MRI center in Westbury, with the MRI’s magnetic force tugging the guy inside the machine via a metallic necklace he was wearing.

Official reports do not explain why the unnamed 61-year-old guy was in the MRI room, as he was not believed to be authorized there at the time of the occurrence.

However, according to a witness at the facility, the guy allegedly refused demands to leave the MRI room after hearing a patient, who is thought to be his family, scream.

Police went on to add that the man had a medical episode’ after being pulled inside the MRI machine and was transferred to a local hospital for treatment.

He was last characterized as being in critical condition, according to a PIX11 report.

According to CBS News, officials at North Shore University Hospital have underlined the risks of accessing an MRI room without authorization.

Dr. Payal Sud elaborated: “The dangers could be catastrophic, and it underscores why we have all the safety precautions in place.”

North Shore went on to emphasize that patients must remove any metal and electrical items, including jewelry, before entering a machine.

They can also be problematic for individuals using oxygen tanks or in wheelchairs, according to Charles Winterfeldt, the hospital’s head of imaging services. “It would act like a torpedo trying to get into the middle of the center of the magnet.”

Sud stated that if the chain was ‘wrapped around the neck,’ it might result in a variety of strangulation injuries,’ such as asphyxiation or cervical spinal injuries.

The static magnetic field of the MRI system is particularly powerful, according to the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco. A 1.5 T magnet produces a magnetic field that is around 21,000 times stronger than the earth’s natural field.”

They also mention that even little metal items, such as paper clips, can become missiles with a final velocity of 40 mph.

According to CBS News, injuries and deaths caused by MRI scanners are uncommon when they involve an item, such as a piece of jewelry.