The death certificates for the six people who died on January 28 at the Foundation Food Group poultry processing plant in Gainesville, Georgia, listed asphyxia from liquid nitrogen exposure as the cause of death, Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) stated.
According to a press release emailed to WATT Global Media from the HCSO, following the incident, the bodies of the deceased were transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab, where the autopsies were performed.
Those deceased have been identified as: Jose DeJesus Elias-Cabrera, 45, of Gainesville; Corey Alan Murphy, 35, of Clermont; Nelly Perez-Rafael, 28, of Gainesville; Saulo Suarez-Bernal, 41, of Dawsonville; Victor Vellez , 38, of Gainesville; and Edgar Vera-Garcia, 28, of Gainesville.
Emergency crews were called to the scene, at Foundation Food Group’s former Prime Pak Foods facility, on the morning of January 28, where five people were pronounced dead at the scene and another died after being transported to a nearby hospital. Others were hospitalized in the incident.
At the time of the incident, it was determined that there was a liquid nitrogen leak at the facility, and an investigation conducted by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) revealed that unscheduled maintenance was being done on equipment on the line where the leak occurred.
Meanwhile, a fund has been established for the families of those who lost their lives in the incident. The Gainesville Relief Fund was set up through the cooperation of the Northeast Georgia Latino Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), Georgia Poultry Federation (GPF), US Poultry Foundation (USPF) and Foundation Food Group.
Foundation Food Group has the following statement published on the homepage of its website: “As our community continues to heal, we extend our continued sympathies and prayers to the families and friends of those lost. We express gratitude for the support received from our dedicated customers, industry suppliers, community and industry relief organizations and especially, from our valued team members who partner with us to produce the best quality products every single day.”
