Emergency responders got the call to Premier Custom Foods at 756 Pawnee Avenue at 1:45 p.m. on April 11 on Kansas City’s Armourdale avenue. The facility distributes chicken, pork and beef.
According to first responders, 26 employees ended up exposed to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide used to preserve meat products.
“Some of the employees were having difficulty breathing, and some were falling unconscious,” said Andrew Nova, fire operations HazMat assistant chief for the Kansas City, Kansas City, Fire Department.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed it responded to the scene and opened an inspection of the facility.
OSHA has six months to complete an investigation, issue citations and propose monetary penalties if violations of workplace safety or healthy procedures are found.
Nova said the United States Department of Agriculture will now evaluate the building to see if it can reopen and see if any of the food needs to be discarded.
While workers did go to the hospital, none of their injuries were serious.