An explosion at the Southfork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt, Texas on Monday proved to be deadly, resulting in the deaths of approximately 18,000 cows, as reported by Fox News Digital after confirmation from the Castro County Sheriffs Office.
Officials noted that the cows were present in a holding area prior to milking when the explosion occurred. Only a few cows survived the blast, as per the account of the sheriff, Sal Rivera, who informed KFDA that some of these cattle were wounded and would have to be put down.
On Monday, police received eight distress calls reporting an explosion and fire. Some callers additionally mentioned that certain employees were trapped inside the milking building, leading law enforcement officials to believe that several people were at risk. When they reached the scene, however, it emerged that only one woman was indeed trapped inside the dairy building.
The affected individual was eventually freed and taken to the UMC Hospital in Lubbock for medical attention. Lubbock is located within an 80-mile range from Dimmitt. Meanwhile, the rest of the dairy employees were declared safe since none of them were found to be trapped or hurt.
An inquiry into the cause of the fire is currently underway, with the Texas State Fire Marshals Office spearheading the investigation. While nothing conclusive has been established, the Castro County Sheriffs Office speculated that a honey badger used to suction out manure and water may have been the cause of the explosion. Sheriff Rivera stated that the machine could have overheated and led to methane gas igniting, causing the explosion and spreading the fire.
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