An explosion and massive fire on Monday killed more than 18,000 cows in a farm near Dimmitt, Texas, and one farm worker is reported to be in critical condition. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Authorities believe that machinery in the facility may have ignited methane gas.
The Castro County Sheriff’s Office reported,
Upon arrival, it was determined that one person was trapped inside and fire crews were able to locate the person and remove them from the building. The person was flown to the UMC Hospital in Lubbock.
Speaking to a local news outlet, Sheriff said that most of the cattle had been lost after the blaze spread to an area in which cows were held before being taken to a milking area and then into a holding pen.
According to data from the Animal Welfare Institute, a nonprofit organization that has been tracking barn fires since 2013, reported that this appears to be the largest mass death of cattle in a single fire, not only in Texas but also across the United States, in at least two decades.
The Texas Association of Dairymen said in a statement that they are “deeply saddened for the family, and everyone affected by the tragedy”.
Castro County produces just under five percent of the state’s milk, according to the organization.
