Ga. officials say investigation into deadly nitrogen leak at poultry plant could take years

Foundation Food Group’s plant in Gainesville, Ga., Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. Workers at the northeast Georgia poultry plant said they escaped through a fog of vaporizing liquid nitrogen that killed six of their coworkers, as an investigation continued Friday into the cause of the leak at Foundation Foods Group. (Scott Rogers/The Times via AP)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 7:36 AM PT – Tuesday, February 2, 2021

New details have emerged about a liquid nitrogen leak at a poultry processing plant in Georgia, which left multiple people dead.

In a press release over the weekend, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board announced they have started their initial probe into the deadly incident.

Last week, law enforcement responded to a call at the Foundation Food Group plant after a liquid nitrogen leak at the plant killed six people and left dozens injured.

Officials revealed the poultry plant had recently installed a new processing and freezing line, which may have sprung the gas leak.

“We are still looking whether to determine when it was turned on, whether the equipment was brand new, whether the permit was refurbished, ” explained Dr. Katherine Lemos, safety board chairman. “All those questions, that’s still to be answered.”

https://t.co/HktI7rbdCv pic.twitter.com/PZI3Idld1r

— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) January 28, 2021

Officials said they will continue to search for answers and warned the investigation may take several years.

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