[ad_1]
GAINESVILLE, Ga., (AP) – A liquid nitrogen leak at a poultry factory in northeast Georgia killed six people on Thursday, and several more were taken to hospital, officials said.
At least three of those injured at the Prime Pak Foods plant in Gainesville have been reported in critical condition.
Poultry plants rely on refrigeration systems which can include liquid nitrogen. Firefighters, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the state fire marshal were investigating the cause of the leak.
“This is a leak of unknown cause that has taken place in the system here,” said Hall County Fire Department chief Zach Brackett. “We still have a lot of information that we are trying to collect on the scene.”
A crowd of workers gathered outside the plant when firefighters responded to the leak Thursday morning.
“Once the units arrived, they found a large contingent of workers who had evacuated, as well as several casualties who were in that crowd who were also having medical emergencies around the facility,” Brackett told reporters. during a televised press briefing.
Northeast Georgia Health System spokeswoman Beth Downs said five people died at the plant and one person died in the emergency room.
Nine other injured patients were in the hospital – three in critical condition, according to health system spokesman Sean Couch. Five were treated in the emergency room and were in fairly good condition. One of them was still on his way to the emergency room when Couch spoke.
At least four firefighters were injured and taken to hospital with what Brackett described as “breathing problems”.
Brackett said around 130 workers were taken by bus to a nearby church where they were examined for injuries. Couch said a person was taken to hospital from there.
Hall County school officials said students were safe inside a nearby elementary school during the emergency but the leak was contained and not airborne. The shelter in order was lifted Thursday afternoon. About 2.5 kilometers of a road past the factory and the school has been closed.
Prime Pak Foods merged with Foundation Food Group, a company that takes raw chicken and turns it into products like chicken fingers and individual chicken cuts for restaurants and food service. The CEO of the company did not immediately return a phone call asking for comment.
Gainesville is the center of Georgia’s poultry industry, which is the largest in the country, with thousands of employees working for processing plants.
[ad_2]
Source link