NEW YORK, July 19 -- A 61-year-old man has died after being pulled into an MRI machine by his chain necklace at a diagnostic imaging centre in Westbury, New York, authorities said.

The fatal incident occurred on Wednesday at Nassau Open MRI and is under investigation.

According to a statement by the Nassau County Police Department cited by The New York Times, the man entered the MRI room at 4.34pm local time wearing a "large metallic chain" around his neck. He did not have authorisation to be in the room, police said.

The magnetic force of the machine pulled the man toward it, triggering what authorities described as a "medical episode". He was transported to a nearby hospital but died the following afternoon at 2.36pm.

Police have no...