One Perdue Farms employee was killed and three others injured when an explosion rocked the company’s feed mill in Cofield, North Carolina, early Saturday morning.
The company confirmed the death of the worker, who had been missing since the blast occurred around 2:15 a.m. at the facility on Perdue Road. A fire in the grain facility is believed to have caused the explosion, according to Christian Davies, spokesman for Hertford County Government.
The blast was powerful enough to shake homes nearby. Chris Sutton, who lives about an eighth of a mile from the facility, said the explosion shook his house.
Three other employees were at the facility during the incident. One worker was airlifted with serious injuries, another was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries, and the third was evaluated at the scene and did not require hospitalization.
Emergency response teams remained on site through the weekend as structural damage to the building created safety hazards for recovery crews. Specialized equipment was brought in to protect first responders.
“Our focus is on the associates affected by this incident and on supporting their families,” said Andrea Staub, senior vice president for corporate communications at Perdue Farms.
The company is cooperating with local authorities investigating the cause. The facility includes the Cofield Grain Elevator, Oilseed Crush Plant and Feed Mill.
