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UPDATE: At least 6 killed in chemical leak at Gainesville food processing plant | NewsNOW from FOX
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January 29, 2021
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3:16Now PlayingGAINESVILLE, Ga. - At least six people were killed and dozens more were being evaluated following a chemical leak at a Gainesville food processing plant Thursday morning, officials said. Four firefighters were among those taken to the hospital, but thankfully all are expected to be okay. One was being held overnight for observation.
Hall County Fire Services and Gainesville Police responded around 10:12 a.m. to the Foundation Food Group building, formerly Prime Pak Foods, located off Memorial Drive to a "large-scale HAZMAT situation.
"It will be a lengthy process," Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said. "It’s not something that’s quick."
During a 1 p.m. press conference, officials with Hall County Fire said there was a leak of liquid nitrogen at the facility. Authorities confirmed six people died and 12 others were taken to the hospital, three of which were listed in critical condition.
Beth Downs, a spokesperson for Northeast Georgia Health System, said five people died at the plant and one person died in the emergency room.
Poultry plants rely on refrigeration systems that can include liquid nitrogen. Several federal, state, and local agencies were investigating the incident including the Hall County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, and the state fire marshal.
Foundation Food Group Vice President for Human Resources Nicholas Ancrum called the leak a tragic accident and said early indications are that a nitrogen line ruptured in the facility.
When leaked into the air, liquid nitrogen vaporizes into an odorless gas that’s capable of displacing oxygen. That means leaks in enclosed spaces can become deadly by pushing away breathable air, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.
Gainesville is the hub of Georgia’s poultry industry, which is the largest in the country. Thousands of employees work across multiple processing plants around the city and much of the workforce, like in many meat processing plants nationwide, is Latino.
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