Texas Dairy Disaster: 18,000 Cattle Dead in Massive Fire and Explosion
Devastating Blast at South Fork Dairy
At least 18,000 cattle were killed in a horrifying explosion and blaze at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas, on Monday, April 10. The blast caused a fierce fire that tore through the facility where cows are rounded up before milking.
Only a Few Cows Survived
Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera confirmed the fire spread quickly to the cattle holding pens. “Only a small percentage of the farm’s cows survived,” he said. The scale of the tragedy is staggering.
Deadliest Barn Fire Recorded in Texas History
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) called this the deadliest barn fire ever recorded for cattle in the U.S. It’s also the worst barn fire Texas has seen since tracking began in 2013.
“We hope the industry will stay focused on this issue and strongly encourage farms to implement common sense fire safety measures,” said AWI Public Relations Manager Margie Fishman. “It’s difficult to think of anything worse than being burned alive.”
Emergency Response and Ongoing Threat
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality arrived Tuesday to help with carcass disposal and debris cleanup. At least one person was critically injured in the explosion and is receiving medical treatment.
