FAIRFIELD, OHIO (RFD NEWS) — The body of an employee who had been unaccounted for following a massive fire at the Koch Foods poultry processing plant in Fairfield has been recovered, authorities confirmed Monday.
The fire, which began early Sunday morning, prompted a three-alarm response from more than 100 firefighters. An explosion was reported during the blaze, and part of the 600,000-square-foot facility suffered a roof collapse.
The deceased has been identified as Griffin Darrow, 25, according to the Butler County Coroner’s Office. Smoke inhalation is believed to be the cause of death. At least three other workers were injured; two were treated and released from a local hospital.
During the response, officials issued a two-mile shelter-in-place order due to concerns about ammonia refrigerant tanks on site. Air monitoring later confirmed that no hazardous levels were detected in the surrounding area, and the order was lifted.
Investigators from the Fairfield Fire Investigation Unit, the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office, and federal agencies, including OSHA, are reviewing the cause of the fire and explosion.
Eliza Petry joins the RFD News team with a strong connection to agriculture and a commitment to covering the people and issues that matter most to rural America.
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