Several decades ago, a fork truck fell through the wooden floor of an apple storage warehouse in a nearby county. In falling straight down, ammonia lines used in the refrigeration system were ruptured. The HazMat team had to almost physically restrain the other emergency responders from running in to try to save the driver, who could be seen sitting upright in the fork truck. He had been killed almost immediately by the ammonia vapors.
I imagine some sort of similar sudden release occurred in this incident.
Based on this from the 911 operator it was obviously a major line or system failure that quickly overwhelmed anyone nearby
The operator advised the caller not to touch the liquid nitrogen for their safety.
"I've got two that are cold, it feels like they're gone," he said. "I've got one that's got a body temperature that's quite cold. It seems like they're freezing."
During the call, the plant was being evacuated. Screams could be heard in the background.
"I'm standing with a guy who's been frozen by liquid nitrogen. He's barely breathing," he said.
The operator walked him through CPR, and eventually, 10 minutes into the call, Hoover said that a firefighter had taken over the treating the worker.
Probably had one. Given the number of fatalities and injuries, my guess was that it was a huge liquid leak that quickly overwhelmed anyone nearby. O2 sensor would have been useless. Only takes one brather and you go down. Since liquid N2 is cold the vapors will be at ground level where they are. Am trying to get details on this incident
How much does an oxygen sensor/alarm cost? -- Pete
GAINESVILLE, Ga, -- A liquid nitrogen leak at a northeast Georgia poultry plant killed six people Thursday, with multiple others taken to the hospital, officials said.
At least three of those injured at the Foundation Food Group plant in Gainesville were reported in critical condition.
Poultry plants rely on refrigeration systems that can include liquid nitrogen. Firefighters, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the state fire marshal were investigating the cause of the leak.
"It was a leak of unknown cause that has occurred in the system here," Hall County Fire Department Division Chief Zach Brackett said. "We still have a lot of information we're trying to gather from the scene."
Foundation Food Group Vice President for Human Resources Nicholas Ancrum called the leak a tragic accident and said early indications are that a nitrogen line ruptured in the facility.
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