One dead, two hospitalized after fire at Tyson Foods plant in Georgia

A woman was killed and two other people were hospitalized with injuries after an overnight fire at a Tyson Foods plant in southwest Georgia, state officials said Friday.

A wall fell on the cab of an 18-wheel truck parked outside the plant, Mitchell County Coroner Robby Willis told The Associated Press, killing a driver's wife truck sleeping inside. He identified the victim as Bajarma Batozhapov, 61, of Las Vegas.

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The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents 1,600 workers at the plant, said Friday that a boiler had exploded. Tyson said he was working with local authorities to determine the cause of the fire. Authorities said the fire lasted about three hours.

Heavy equipment was needed to remove debris from the truck and Willis said the woman's body was not found until around 2 p.m. Friday. The woman's husband was not in the truck and was not injured, he said. Willis declined to give the woman's cause of death and said an autopsy would be performed Monday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

“We extend our deepest condolences to their family and friends during this difficult time. At this time, we are still gathering the facts, but ensuring the safety of our team members is our top priority, and we are conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire,” Tyson said in a statement.

A Tyson Foods logo is seen on a truck parked at a food warehouse. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Bryce Rawson, a spokesman for the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office, confirmed the death and injuries but said he could not say anything further Friday afternoon since the investigation was ongoing. .

The Camilla plant, with a population of about 5,000, is the largest employer in Mitchell County. Tyson purchased it in 2018 as part of its $2.16 billion purchase of Keystone Foods. The union said the factory mainly produced chicken nuggets and chicken tenders for restaurants.

“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy here and Tyson plays a major role in that,” said Camilla Mayor Kelvin Owens.

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Owens said Tyson was more than just an employer for the city.

“Not only are they important to the economy, but they’re also important to us as people,” Owens said. “We consider them family and we will do everything we can to support them during this time.”