A worker was killed, and two others were injured following an early morning explosion and fire at a Koch Foods poultry processing facility in Fairfield, Ohio, on Sunday.
Fire crews responded around 1 a.m. to the 600,000-square-foot plant on Commerce Drive after reports of an explosion and heavy fire on the roof of the building according to TV station Local 12. When firefighters arrived, they encountered intense heat and flames across a large section of the structure, forcing them to battle the blaze defensively from the outside.
The fire burned for approximately seven hours before being declared extinguished.
Worker killed; two treated and released
An interior search for a third employee was initially called off due to “untenable heat and structural conditions,” according to the Fairfield Fire Department. After conditions improved and structural specialists deemed portions of the building safe to enter, crews located the body of the missing worker Sunday afternoon in an area that had sustained heavy fire damage and partial roof collapse.
On Tuesday, the Butler County Coroner identified the deceased worker as Griffin Darrow, 25.
Two additional employees were transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with burn injuries and were later released. Fire officials said the fact that both workers were released suggests they did not suffer serious inhalation injuries.
The Butler County Coroner’s Office is working with the victim’s family.
Ammonia concerns prompt shelter-in-place order
Due to concerns about the facility’s anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system — commonly used in poultry and other food processing plants — authorities issued a precautionary shelter-in-place order, according to Cincinnati.com, for residents and businesses within a two-mile radius.
Anhydrous ammonia is widely used as an industrial refrigerant because of its efficiency and cost-effectiveness, but it can be highly toxic if released into the air.
The Greater Cincinnati Hazardous Materials Unit was activated to monitor air quality, and drone technology was deployed to assess roof temperatures and structural conditions. Officials later confirmed that the ammonia source had been shut off and air monitoring showed no major chemical release. The shelter-in-place order was lifted around 7:30 a.m.
The Fairfield Fire Investigation Unit is leading the investigation with assistance from the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office. Officials say the extent of the damage — including partial roof collapse — will require a thorough, time-consuming inspection.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the reported explosion and subsequent fire. No official cause has been released.
The fire occurred at Koch Foods’ manufacturing building on Commerce Center Drive, part of a $220 million expansion project announced in 2021. The new facility added more than 600 jobs to the region and includes expanded freezer space, dry storage and processing capacity.
Chicago-based Koch Foods is one of the largest poultry producers in the United States, operating multiple slaughter and further-processing plants, hatcheries and feed mills nationwide. The company produces more than 60 million pounds of ready-to-cook poultry per week.
In 2021, Fairfield city officials identified Koch Foods as the city’s largest industrial employer and one of Butler County’s top employers, with approximately 2,000 workers in the area.
Officials have not yet indicated how long operations at the damaged facility will be disrupted. Koch Foods has not released a formal statement regarding the incident.
