A Texas dairy farm experienced an explosion this week that claimed the lives of approximately 18,000 cattle, a tragic event that is likely the largest mass death of cattle ever recorded. The Southfork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt, Texas, faced an unprecedented catastrophe highlighting the often-overlooked issue of farm animal deaths due to fires.
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has documented barn fires since 2013. AWI policy associate Allie Granger confirmed the event’s severity. “This is the deadliest barn fire or fire on a farming facility involving cattle that we are aware of,” Granger said. While fires have caused higher mortality rates in the poultry industry, the scale of the Texas incident surpasses any prior incidents involving cattle.
Explosion at South Fork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt Texas last night. The fire spread into the dairy cow holding pens, and an unknown amount of dairy cattle were killed by the fire and smoke. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Yet another incident affecting food supply. pic.twitter.com/1BkCoSjg7D
— Truthseeker (@Xx17965797N) April 12, 2023
Since 2013, AWI has documented a total of 6.5 million farm animal deaths resulting from fires, with the majority being chickens. In most cases, the cause of these fires remains unknown. However, when a cause is determined, heating devices are frequently identified as the primary culprits.
In the case of the Southfork Dairy Farm explosion, Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera suspects a combination of factors led to a buildup of gasses, causing the explosion. He cited a device known as a “honey badger,” which vacuums manure and water out of the facility, as a potential ignition source. In addition, the equipment may have overheated, causing methane and other gasses to ignite, leading to the disastrous explosion.
Allie Granger called for adopting safety codes across the industry to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future. The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities Code, NFPA 150, outlines best practices for operations to protect animals better.
The recommendations include performing animal inspections with fire experts or departments, creating emergency action plans, and implementing employee fire safety training. Structural and infrastructure improvements, such as ensuring adequate separation between buildings and access to fire lanes, are also suggested.
According to an AWI report, nearly 6.5 million farm animals have died in barn fires since 2013, with 681,825 fatalities in 2021 alone. Animals are often densely packed in barns, which hinders their ability to escape during emergencies and contributes to the high fatality rates during fires.
While the Southfork Dairy Farm tragedy has focused on the devastating impact of fires on farm animals, Allie Granger stressed the need for the industry to remain focused on this issue and adopt common-sense fire safety measures. By taking proactive steps and implementing best practices, the hope is to reduce the number of tragedies and save both animal and human lives.
