COFIELD, N.C. — One person was killed and three others were injured after an explosion at the Perdue Feed Mill in Cofield, North Carolina, early Saturday morning.
The explosion caused a fire and damaged the building, making conditions worse for search and recovery crews. Officials still do not know what caused the explosion.
Christian Davies, a spokesperson with Hertford County, said from the time volunteer firefighters got the call to recovering the missing person, it was a 40-hour operation.
"The recovery was extremely difficult. It wasn't a routine recovery. Part of the building was missing as a result of the explosion. The structural integrity of the building was severely impacted. There was debris all around the building," Davies said.
Davies said many local residents work at the facility and Perdue is working with impacted employees.
"We do understand it does have a severe impact on our community, especially in Cofield," Davies said.
I reached out to Perdue about employee impacts. The company said in a statement,
"This continues to be a very difficult time for our Cofield team and the broader community. Our immediate focus is on supporting our associates and their families, and we are providing resources and assistance to those directly impacted by the incident. Our leadership met with the Cofield team in person today to reinforce our commitment to communicate consistently and transparently on what to expect, and to provide more detail on the support they will receive from Perdue in the coming weeks."
Perdue Farms says the facility remains closed as authorities continue their investigation and structural safety assessments. The company says it is implementing business continuity plans across its network to continue serving partners while prioritizing safety.
