Colorado dairy accident: Six workers killed in Weld County; gas exposure suspected

Six men lost their lives in a possible consequence of gas exposure at a large dairy farm in Weld County, Colorado, authorities confirmed on Thursday. The victims, all Hispanic males, were found inside a confined space at Prospect Valley Dairy near Keenesburg, around 35 miles northeast of Denver.According to news agency AP, chief deputy coroner for Weld County Jolene Weiner said investigators are treating the deaths as likely caused by toxic gas exposure. “We are investigating these deaths as the possible consequence of gas exposure in a confined space,” she said, adding that autopsies are planned to determine the exact cause.Fire crews were called to the farm on Wednesday evening for what was initially reported as a “confined space rescue.” Instead, they recovered the bodies, said Tom Beach, chief of the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District, as reported by the New York Times.Three other individuals were taken to the hospital but have since been released, as per NBC News. Officials emphasised that there was no sign of criminal activity. “It looks like an accident,” Weld County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Melissa Chesmore said, while declining to elaborate on the precise circumstances.The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation, according to the department of labour. Farming groups expressed shock. Dairy Farmers of America, which confirmed the site was one of its member farms, called it a “tragic accident,” offering condolences to the families of the deceased.The property, records show, is owned by Prospect Valley Dairy LLC, with a California-based address listed for its owners. The dairy includes a milking parlour of about 3,000 square metres and two free-stall barns, one nearly 42,000 square metres and another over 9,000.Keenesburg, the small town nearest to the farm, has about 2,000 residents, many of whom work in agriculture or the oil and gas sector. “We’re a very close-knit community. It’s mostly just farm fields,” mayor Aron Lam was quoted as saying by the New York Times.Farming is considered among the most dangerous occupations in the United States. As per by the New York Times, dairy workers in particular face risks from machinery, livestock, and toxic gases that accumulate in manure pits. Colorado has seen similar tragedies before: in 2021, an immigrant farmworker drowned after his truck overturned into a manure lagoon at another dairy farm in La Salle.Weiner confirmed that the names of the six victims are being withheld until families are notified.