|
A
wall fell on the cab of an 18-wheel truck parked outside the
plant, Mitchell County Coroner Robby Willis told The Associated
Press, killing the wife of a truck driver who was asleep inside.
He identified the victim as Bajarma Batozhapov, 61, of Las
Vegas.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which
represents 1,600 workers at the plant, said Friday that a boiler
had exploded. Tyson said it was working with local authorities
to determine the cause of the fire. Officials said a fire burned
for about three hours.
Heavy equipment was required to remove debris from the truck and
Willis said that the woman's body wasn't recovered until about 2
p.m. Friday. The woman's husband wasn't in the truck and wasn't
injured, he said. Willis declined to state a cause of death for
the woman, and said an autopsy would be performed by the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation on Monday.
“We extend our deepest condolences to their family and friends
during this difficult time. 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 of the fire,” Tyson said in a statement.
Bryce Rawson, a spokesperson for the Georgia State Fire
Marshal's Office, confirmed the death and injuries but said he
couldn't share anything further Friday afternoon since the
investigation was ongoing.
The plant in Camilla, which has a population of about 5,000
people, 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.”
___
Durbin reported from Detroit. Charlotte Kramon in Los Angeles
contributed.
All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved
|
|
