UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: On July 8, 2006, Employees #1, #2 and #3 were beginning a daily shut down and cleaning of the process equipment in which the company "prilled" animal feed. The process involved spraying liquid animal fat into the top of 70-foot high silos. The liquefied fat droplets fall through chilled air and solidify to become hardened feed pellets at the bottom of the silo. After a brief discussion of the operation between the foreman and the three employees, the foreman started back towards his office while Employees #1, #2 and #3 began their assigned tasks. An initial explosion and fire occurred which involved the air conditioning unit that cooled the air for the "prilling" process. The air conditioning unit was situated directly in front of the access doors at the base of the silos. The foreman heard the initial explosion and ran back towards the fire where he found two of the employees engulfed in flames. He carried the two employees outside the building, extinguished the flames on their clothing with a fire extinguisher, and called 911. The foreman then ran back into the burning building to attempt to rescue the other employee who had been working on a platform at the base of the Number 3 and 4 silos. As the foreman tried to reach that employee however, a second, more powerful explosion occurred, which prevented him from reaching the area where that employee was working. The foreman was forced to retreat from the building. Employees #1 and #2 were killed. Employee #3 was hospitalized with burns.