Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office rules Dimmitt dairy farm explosion as accidental

DIMMITT, Texas (KFDA) - The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office ruled the Dimmitt dairy farm explosion as accidental.

On April 10, the Southfork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt caught on fire, critically injuring one person and killing up to 17,000 cows.

The University Medical Clinic has now confirmed the woman is now in stable condition.

Investigators discovered that the fire originated in the northern end of the dairy in pen #3.

The fire was caused due to failure of a piece of equipment that is used within the dairy on a daily basis.

Officials said there is no evidence that shows there was foul play.

“This was a tragic accident that unfortunately critically injured one person and caused the death of over 17,000 cattle,” the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office said in a press release.

Two other pieces of equipment, which are identical to the one that caused the fire, have burned previously at the Dimmitt dairy and another dairy.

Officials and experts will continue to investigate the reason for the equipment failure.

The fire, which is due to liquid fuel, hydraulic oil and other flammable and combustible materials, rapidly grew. The operator wasn’t able to control it with the two fire extinguishers he used.

The explosion was the result of the flammable liquids expanding rapidly.

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