…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
A devastating explosion caused by suspected overheating machinery mixed with methane at a dairy farm in Texas has left 18,000 cattle dead and a worker critically injured.
The explosion took place at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt and is the worst farm fire that monitors have seen.
A female worker was trapped inside the milking building during the blaze and had to be rescued by firefighters.
She remains critically injured in hospital.
It is believed that the fire spread to the building where cattle are hauled before being brought into the milking area and into a holding pen, causing only a small percentage of the animals to survive.
Sheriff Sal Rivera of Castro County said that only some cattle survived, while others may have been injured to the extent that they will need to be destroyed.
Methane, which is produced naturally on dairy farms by cows through enteric fermentation and manure storage, is thought to have ignited as a result of the overheated machinery.
Dramatic images from the scene show a column of black smoke rising from the farm and the devastation left on the ground.
The explosion has been described as the deadliest barn fire for cattle by the Animal Welfare Institute, an animal advocacy group that began tracking farm fires in 2013.
Charred bodies of cows remain on the site, being dealt with by environmental officers along with the burnt-out barn.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Amarillo Region arrived at the scene on Tuesday morning and is helping the dairy’s owner with the disposal of the carcasses.
Meanwhile, the Animal Welfare Institute hopes that the industry will remain focused on the issue and strongly encourage farms to adopt commonsense fire safety measures.
The tragic incident is a significant loss for the farm industry and has highlighted the need for better safety measures in farms.
It is devastating to lose so many animals in one incident, and it is hoped that this event will serve as a wake-up call for farms to take necessary precautions to prevent such devastating events in the future.
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