Perdue Farms is experiencing a series of intermittent rubble fires at its Cofield, North Carolina, feed mill following an explosion that occurred Feb. 21, the company said Sunday.
The fires are occurring beneath debris remaining at the site, which can make them difficult to fully extinguish. Perdue has engaged specialized fire suppression professionals and other experts who are actively monitoring and managing the site to keep the fires contained until demolition begins, which is expected soon.
Safety remains the company's top priority. There have been no injuries from the fires, and there is no current indication of risk to the surrounding community, Perdue said.
The company expressed gratitude for the continued support of the local fire department and first responders for their professionalism and ongoing assistance throughout the week.
The Feb. 21 explosion killed one worker and injured three others. Four associates were onsite at the time of the explosion. Two were treated and released from the hospital, and one remained hospitalized as of Feb. 25.
The incident remains under investigation by the company and independent third-party specialists, in coordination with local, state and federal authorities. Perdue is cooperating fully with all investigations.
The facility remains closed. Perdue is supporting associates, including extending pay and benefits for affected team members. The company issued precautionary Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices March 16 related to the Cofield location out of an abundance of caution.
Perdue has business continuity plans in place and is utilizing other feed manufacturing resources within its network to continue producing feed for contracted growers while the facility remains closed.
