A Tyson Foods plant in Georgia has exploded overnight, killing at least one person, authorities have confirmed.
A woman was reportedly killed in the blast while sleeping in her truck outside the poultry plant.
The victim has been identified as 61-year-old Bajarma Batozhapov of Las Vegas.
Batozhapov didn’t work at the plant, nor did her husband, the Mitchell County Coroner’s Office said.
Her husband is a truck driver and she was accompanying him at the time of the blast.
The explosion burned part of the truck she was in, the coroner’s office said.
Batozhapov’s husband was in the building at the time of the explosion.
However, he was hurt in the blast, according to the coroner’s office.
Several others were injured in the incident in Camilla, officials said.
The town, which has a population of roughly 5,000 people, is about 60 miles north of Tallahassee
According to a Tyson Foods spokesperson, the cause of the sudden explosion hasn’t been determined.
“We extend our deepest condolences to their family and friends during this difficult time,” the spokesperson said.
“Right now we are still gathering the facts, but ensuring the safety of our team members is our top priority, and we are conducting a full investigation into the cause.”
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Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union, which represents the Tyson workers, described the blast as a boiler explosion.
Appelbaum said several employees were burned.
“We are working with the company, and local emergency authorities to ensure that all the workers impacted are taken care of,” he said in a statement.
“It is too early to tell what happened last night but there must be a thorough investigation into this incident, and workers must be able to work safely in the facility,” he added.
Officials said a fire caused by the blast burned for about three hours.
The plant in Camilla is the largest employer in Mitchell County.
Tyson bought it in 2018 as part of its $2.16 billion purchase of Keystone Foods. The union said the plant primarily produces chicken nuggets and chicken fillets for restaurants.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy down here and Tyson is a major part of that,” Camilla Mayor Kelvin Owens said.
Owens said Tyson is more than just an employer to the city.
“Not only are they important to the economy, they’re important to us as people,” Owens said.
“We consider them family and we’re going to do everything we can to support them during this time.”
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