(ConcernedPatriot.com) – A Texas dairy farm was the scene of an explosion on Monday that claimed the lives of 18,000 milking cows and badly injured one person. The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined by authorities.
As the colossal explosion enveloped the Southfork Dairy Farm near Dimmitt, the Castro County Sheriff’s Office confirmed with Fox News Digital that the cows were in a holding area before being milked.
A veil of smoke could be seen 30 miles away, and the explosion shook the homes in the area. According to officials, only a few cows in the holding area survived.
According to the Animal Welfare Institute, the incident was the deadliest cattle-related barn fire in Texas since the group began keeping track of fires in 2013, according to KFDA.
Images and videos shared on social media after the incident show a massive cloud of robust and dark smoke visible from the farm.
🚨#UPDATE: Mass Casaulty Incident has declared after explosion at dairy farm in Dimmitt, Texas. So far one person is in critical condition at this time with information being very limited this was moments after the explosion that took place#SouthForkDairy#CastroCounty… pic.twitter.com/R5GjvUMHN5
— LockharTVMedia (@LockharTVMedia) April 11, 2023
“Your count is most likely very close to that. When asked to confirm the loss of roughly 18,000 head of cattle,” said Castro County Sherif Sal Rivera to KFDA.
He added, “There are some that survived. Some are harmed to the point where they’ll have to be destroyed.”
According to Farmer’s Weekly, the fire reportedly advanced so quickly that farmworkers were beaten back by the heat or caught inside the milking parlor by smoke and flames, preventing them from releasing livestock.
Firefighters focused on freeing the trapped workers as soon as they arrived. One individual was transported to the hospital in critical condition after taking longer to extricate herself.
Sal Rivera, the sheriff of Castro County Police, verified early rumors that the explosion was caused by an overheated machine. Rivera added that all 60 of the farm’s staff were present and accounted for.
Still, he declined to comment on the actual number of livestock that perished. He stated that while some cattle may have survived, others may have sustained injuries that would require their destruction.
⚠️Over 18,000 dairy cows were killed in the South Fork Dairy Farm explosion/fire on Monday, located in Dimmitt, Texas. pic.twitter.com/iWAEhyz3AX
— Truthseeker (@Xx17965797N) April 12, 2023
The cause of the tragic fire is the subject of an investigation by the Texas Fire Marshall. This is not the first time a significant American food producer has experienced catastrophic manufacturing capability loss.
According to reports, a large fire that ravaged a Connecticut egg farm in January of this year probably killed tens of thousands of birds.
And according to local media sources citing the Salvation Army, the explosion and fire claimed the lives of about 100,000 chickens.
One of the leading egg producers in the nation, Hillandale Farms—where the incident occurred—raises almost 20 million chickens just for their eggs.
January 28th: More than 100 firefighters battled a huge fire at a commercial egg farm (Hillandale Farm, Bozrah, Connecticut, USA).
Hillandale Farms is one of the top egg producers in the US, raising over 20 million chickens for eggs. pic.twitter.com/rucYbrqsIK
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) January 30, 2023
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