Austin: More than 18,000 cows have died in an explosion and subsequent fire at a family dairy farm in Texas.
According to the report, The incident, which is being considered the biggest fire in a farm in American history, occurred at the South Fork Dairy near the city of Dimmitt in the western region of Texas.
Reports suggest that methane gas from the machinery used in the farm may have sparked the blaze. One person was also reportedly injured in the explosion.
The blaze prompted calls from the Animal Welfare Institute – one of the oldest US animal protection groups – for federal laws to prevent barn fires that kill hundreds of thousands of farm animals each year.
Pictures of the inferno shared by the Castro County Sheriff’s Office show a large plume of smoke rising from the farm. The fire quickly spread to the area of the farm where the cows were located, leading to their death due to suffocation from the fire and smoke.
The exact number of cows that perished in the explosion is not yet known, but authorities have confirmed that 18,000 cattle are missing. This is a devastating loss for the dairy industry and the community at large.
Investigations are currently underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Meanwhile, the dairy farm’s owners and staff are likely reeling from the loss of so many animals and the damage to their property.
The tragedy serves as a reminder of the importance of proper safety protocols and equipment maintenance on farms and in other workplaces. It is also a sobering reminder of the impact that disasters like this can have on the livelihoods and well-being of individuals and communities.