Explosion on Texas farm kills over 18,000 dairy cattle

The disaster happened on Monday 10 April at around 19.20 at South Fork Dairy run by the Brand family situated near the city of Dimmitt.

Multiple 911 calls were being received by the local emergency services reporting the incident, including news of employees trapped in a milking shed.

The Castro County Sheriff’s Office, plus the Dimmitt, Hart and Nazareth Fire Departments, responded and upon arrival determined that 1 person was trapped inside.

Fire crews were able to locate the person and remove her from the building. The injured woman was then flown to the UMC Hospital in Lubbock. The farm has 60 employees who have all been accounted for.

Initial reports from the farm suggest over 18,000 cattle have been killed in the blast, which is still under investigation.

Cause of explosion at the dairy farm

It is thought a machine in the barn overheated and caught fire, which then ignited the barn’s insulation. Sheriffs say the fire then ignited methane causing the explosion.

A large number of cattle had been gathered in one area to be milked at the time of the explosion, according to the sheriffs.

Sheriff Sal Rivera said: “The count probably is close to that. There’s some that survived; there’s some that are probably injured to the point where they’ll have to be destroyed.”

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Amarillo Region are currently on the farm assisting the dairy owner with carcass disposal.

Neighbouring farmers and the local community have rallied round to help the family.