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An explosion at a Tyson Foods (TSN-0.62%) poultry plant in Camilla, Georgia, has resulted in the death of one worker and left several others severely injured. The incident occurred early Friday morning, causing significant damage to the facility and raising serious concerns about worker safety.
The Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU), which represents over 15,000 poultry workers across the Southern United States, said the blast was the result of a boiler explosion. Local news station WALB News 10 reported that one worker was critically injured and may not survive. Several others sustained severe burns.
In response, Stuart Appelbaum, President of the RWDSU, and Edgar Fields, President of the Southeast Council of the RWDSU, issued a joint statement expressing their commitment to supporting the workers affected. “No worker should ever have to worry that when they go to work, they may not be able to return home safe and sound,” the statement said.
Although the cause of the explosion remains unclear, union leaders have called for a thorough investigation and stressed the importance of improving safety protocols. “The health and safety of workers must be a top priority at poultry plants, and we are working to assist anyone injured last night,” they said. RWDSU representatives have been deployed to the site to offer support to the workers and coordinate with local emergency authorities.
The Camilla plant is one of several Tyson facilities represented by the RWDSU in the region. The union represents around 1,600 workers at this specific plant, and has worked with them for about 50 years.
“Workers must be able to work safely in the facility,” the union leaders said, emphasizing that such incidents highlight the need for stronger safety measures at Tyson plants.
Tyson Foods has not yet issued a statement on the explosion, but authorities are continuing to investigate the incident. The company did not immediately respond to Quartz’s request for comment.