Drive-thru car wash equipment traps, kills woman in North Carolina

WEAVERVILLE, N.C. -- A 26-year-old North Carolina woman got trapped inside car wash equipment and died on Jan. 13.

The terrible incident happened at a drive-thru car wash located in Buncombe County. Investigators responded to the ZIPS Car Wash in Weaverville around 6:30 p.m.

By the time they arrived, Carolina Bree Franks was already dead.

Her grandmother, Ernestine Franks, said she was shocked by the news. Carolina had just returned home from visiting Ernestine in Kentucky.

She told area ABC affiliate WLOS that her granddaughter was a lovely woman she had raised since she was 6 years old.

"She was special. She loved everybody. She loved animals. She just is a nice young lady."

Sarah Elizabeth, a spokeswoman for ZIPS Corporate, released the following statement Monday:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with our team member's family in this time of loss. This is such an unfortunate tragedy. We are working with local authorities and the North Carolina Department of Labor OSHA throughout the investigation, and our Weaverville site will remain closed at this time."