Authorities on Thursday revealed the cause of a Texas dairy farm explosion that killed nearly 20,000 head of cattle.
A large explosion at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas last month killed more than 18,000 cows and injured one person.
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| Smoke rises from Southfork Dairy Farms near Dimmitt, Texas. (Castro County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook) |
The smoke from the explosion could be seen up to 80 miles away.
Investigators said an engine fire in the manure hauler caused the explosion.
It is unclear what caused the engine fire but, according to authorities, there was “no intentional act to cause a failure.”
AP reported:
A fire and explosion at a dairy farm in the Texas Panhandle that injured one person and killed an estimated 18,000 head of cattle was an accident that started with an engine fire in a manure vacuum truck cleaning part of the massive barn, according to state investigators.
A State Fire Marshal report of the April 10 fire at the Southfork Dairy Farm about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Amarillo did not determine what caused the engine fire, but found there was “no intentional act to cause a failure.” The April 24 report said the investigation was closed.
