On Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, an explosion was reported at a Georgia Tyson Foods factory, killing one and injuring several others. According to the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, a boiler in the factory exploded. This caused a three-hour-long fire.
According to CNN, the victim is a 61-year-old woman from Las Vegas. WALB and WKRG report that the woman’s name is Bajarm Batozhatov.
She was with her husband, Tcyden Batozhatov, who was inside the building. She reportedly died inside her husband’s truck after a concrete wall fell on top of it. Jamie Sullivan, the Camilla Fire Chief, confirmed that heavy machinery was used to access Batozhatov’s body hours after the incident.
According to The Associated Press, the fire lasted three hours and injured two other people, both of whom required hospitalization. An investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the fire.
“We are working with the company and local emergency authorities to ensure that all of the workers impacted are taken care of,” Stuart Appelbaum and Edgar Fields of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union said in a joint statement.
“Our members and the Camilla community rely on this facility to function; it is too early to say what happened last night, but there must be a thorough investigation into this incident, and workers must be able to work safely inside the facility. No worker should ever have to be concerned that they will not be able to return home safely after working.
Tyson Food Factory
The Tyson Foods plant in Camila, Georgia, is Mitchel County’s largest employer, according to WKRG. Camila has a population of 5,000 individuals. Tyson purchased Keystone Foods in 2018, and the former acquired the factory.
A Tyson Foods spokesperson issued a statement to several outlets. “We are working closely with local authorities to determine the cause of a late-night fire at our Camilla, Georgia facility that resulted in the death of one person and several injuries,” according to a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to their family and friends during this difficult time.”
“Right now we are still gathering the facts, but ensuring the safety of our team members is our top priority, and we are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the fire,” according to the statement.
