21 Hurt in Chicken Processing Plant Fire in Rural Texas Town
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MT. PLEASANT, Tex. — A fire Wednesday in a chicken processing plant sent 21 people to the hospital with burns and with injuries from being trampled as people tried to escape, officials said.
The fire broke out late in the morning at the Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. plant when a hydraulic line on a fry cooker came loose, Fire Chief Larry McRae said. Hot oil escaped and got into a burner, which caught fire, he said.
The fire spread, but was quickly put out by the plant’s own firefighting system, McRae added.
Most of the 21 injured were hospitalized with burns and smoke-related injuries. Carolyn Turner, 33, was in serious condition at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, 110 miles from Mt. Pleasant, with burns over 30% of her body, hospital spokesman Michele Majors said.
Several injuries were caused by trampling as people attempted to get out of the factory, said Frances Standridge, assistant administrator of Titus County Memorial Hospital. She said one person suffered a broken arm and others had bumps and bruises.
Bill Voss, president of the company, said the plant’s 1,200 employees were evacuated in less than five minutes.
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