A woman was killed, and two others were hospitalized with injuries after an overnight fire at a Tyson Foods facility in southwest Georgiastate officials said Friday.
The wall fell onto an 18-wheeler truck parked outside the plant, Mitchell County Coroner Robby Willis told The Associated Press, killing the truck driver's wife who was sleeping inside. . He identified the victim as Bajarma Batozhapov, 61, of Las Vegas.
LOUISVILLE FACTORY EXPLOSION INCLUDES 2, INJURES SEVERAL, SAILS COMPANY.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents 1,600 workers at the plant, said on Friday that the boiler had exploded. Tyson said it is working with local authorities to determine the cause of the fire. Officials say the fire burned for about three hours.
Heavy equipment was needed to remove the debris from the truck, and Willis said the woman's body was not found until about 2pm Friday. He said the woman's husband was not in the truck and was unharmed. Willis declined to say the woman's cause of death, and said an autopsy will be performed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Monday.
“We extend our deepest condolences to their families and friends at this difficult time. We are currently gathering information, but ensuring the safety of our team members is our top priority, and we are conduct a full investigation into the cause of the fire,” Tyson said in a statement.
A Tyson Foods logo is seen on a truck parked at a food warehouse. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
Bryce Rawson, a spokesman for the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office, confirmed the death and injuries but said he would not share anything Friday afternoon since the investigation was ongoing.
Camilla Center, with a population of approximately 5,000, is the largest employer in Mitchell County. Tyson bought it in 2018 as part of its $2.16 billion purchase of Keystone Foods. The organization said that the plant is very productive chicken coops and broilers for restaurants.
Agriculture is the backbone of our economy down here and Tyson is a big part of that,” said Camilla Mayor Kelvin Owens.
Owens says Tyson isn't the only employer in town.
“They're not only important to the economy, they're important to us as people,” Owens said. “We consider them family and we will do everything we can to support them during this time.”