Fire crews responding to explosion at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt
By Sergio Garcia
Published: Apr. 10, 2023 at 8:42 PM CDT|Updated: 14 hours ago
https://www.newschannel10.com/2023/04/11...-diary-dimmitt/

DIMMIT, Texas (KFDA) - Crews are responding to an explosion that happened at South Fork Dairy in Dimmit today.

Details are limited but it has been confirmed that an explosion happened, engulfing both structures.

Surrounding counties are on the scene helping.

Aero-care is also on the scene.

We will continue to update as we receive information.-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Large Explosion and Fire Breaks Out at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas Monday Night


An explosion and fire occurred at South Fork Dairy located outside of Dimmitt, Tex. Monday night. The cause is still unknown, but reports say the explosion engulfed multiple structures, and the smoke cloud could be seen from as much as 80 miles away.
(Photos: Castro County Sheriff's Office/ Graphic: Lindsey Pound)
By Tyne Morgan April 11, 2023

A possible explosion and fire at a Dimmitt, Tex. dairy on Monday night sent one woman to the hospital. The cause is still unknown, but reports say the explosion engulfed multiple structures, and the smoke cloud could be seen from as much as 80 miles away.

The reported explosion occurred at South Fork Dairy, which is located just southeast of Dimmitt. According to Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera, the explosion occurred around 7:20 p.m. on Monday. However, it's not confirmed if it was an explosion that started the fire or a piece of equipment that caught on fire and quickly spread. The building that was on fire was cross ventilated. Cross ventilated buildings have hundreds of fans, which means it's possible the large cloud of smoke was created from the fans blowing out smoke.

According to AgDay and U.S. Farm Report Lubbock affiliate KJTV, details are still limited about what caused the possible explosion, but Aero-care was on the scene. The Castro County Sheriff also confirmed one woman was transported to a Lubbock hospital. -- excerpt, rest at link above --

GRAPHIC: At least 18,000 cattle killed in dairy farm explosion
By 13 News Staff
Published: Apr. 11, 2023 at 5:58 PM CDT|Updated: 14 hours ago
https://www.kold.com/2023/04/11/graphic-...farm-explosion/


TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - At least 18,000 cattle were killed in an explosion and fire at a dairy farm in Texas on Monday, April 10.

KFDA, 13 News’ sister station in Amarillo, Texas, reported it happened at the South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt.

Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera said the fire from the explosion spread to the building where they haul cattle before bringing them into the milking area and into a holding pen.

Rivera said only a small percentage of the farm’s cows survived.

KFDA said the Animal Welfare Institute said this is the deadliest barn fire for cattle overall and the most devastating barn fire in Texas since they began tracking barn fires in 2013.-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Published April 12, 2023 6:20pm EDT
Texas dairy explosion leaves at least 18,000 cattle dead, 1 person critically injured
Initial reports say more than 18,000 cows died in the Texas explosion
By Sarah Rumpf-Whitten | Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-dairy-e...tically-injured

[...]

Officials said all the other dairy employees were accounted for and were safe.

The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

"The speculation was probably what they call a honey badger, which is a vacuum that sucks the manure and water out and possibly that it got overheated and probably the methane and things like that ignited and spread out and exploded and the fire," Rivera told local outlet KSAT.-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Thanks, @tex.blair

At least some speculation as to the cause.

Authorities Reveal Cause of Texas Dairy Farm Explosion That Killed 20,000 Cows
https://www.dailyfetched.com/authorities...led-20000-cows/
By: Jason Walsh
May 19, 2023



Authorities have revealed the cause of the Texas dairy farm explosion that killed nearly 20,000 in April this year.

The massive explosion at the South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas, killed thousands of cattle and injured one person.

The smoke from the explosion was so large it could be seen by witnesses 80 miles away.

According to investigators, an engine fire in the manure hauler caused the explosion.

However, it is unclear what caused the engine fire, but authorities claim there was “no intentional act to cause a failure.”

AP reported:

A fire and explosion at a dairy farm in the Texas Panhandle that injured one person and killed an estimated 18,000 head of cattle was an accident that started with an engine fire in a manure vacuum truck cleaning part of the massive barn, according to state investigators.

A State Fire Marshal report of the April 10 fire at the Southfork Dairy Farm about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Amarillo did not determine what caused the engine fire but found there was “no intentional act to cause a failure.” The April 24 report said the investigation was closed.

The explosion adds to a long list of mysterious farm fires.

The Poultry Site reported more than 518,000 farm animals perished in barn fires in 2022, according to an Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) analysis.

As The Daily Fetched reported last year, dozens of food processing plants were destroyed by ‘accidental fires,’ the first major one was reported in 2023 as a commercial egg farm in Bozrah, Connecticut.-- excerpt, rest at link above --