(Bloomberg) -- Tyson Foods Inc. says it’s investigating the cause of a fire at one of its meat plants in Georgia that killed one and left several injured.
The late-night fire hit the company’s plant in the town of Camilla, Tyson said in a statement. The facility processes poultry and has about 1,600 workers represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
“We are working closely with local authorities to determine the cause of a late-night fire,” Tyson said in the statement. “We are still gathering the facts, but ensuring the safety of our team members is our top priority, and we are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the fire.”
In a separate statement, the union said several members were severely burned in a boiler explosion. RWDSU representatives are on the ground and working with Tyson and local authorities to “ensure that all the workers impacted are taken care of,” said Edgar Fields, president of the Southeast Council of the RWDSU.
“Our members and the community of Camilla depend on this facility operating,” he said. “It’s too early to tell what happened last night but there must be a thorough investigation into this incident, and workers must be able to work safely in the facility.”
(Updates with union comments in fourth, fifth paragraphs.)
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