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Report: Over a dozen food processing plants have reportedly burned down in the past six months

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Since the beginning of 2022 many large food processing facilities that have exploded or burned to the ground across the U.S.

This week, a vegetable and nut processing facility in Dufur, Oregon became engulfed in flames for unknown reasons. “Lights flickered; They heard a pop and went up there to check it out and there was a fire,” according to a report made to Wasco County 911 records listed in the Wasco County Sheriff’s log.

The independent distributor of natural, organic an non-GMO foods which employees around 150 people, burned to the ground.

One week before that fire in Oregon, a massive fire brought down a meat processing plant in Conway, New Hampshire. After burning for 16 hours, multiple fire crews put out the fire at East Conway Beef and Pork, however the facility is completely destroyed.

That same week, in Salinas, California, a massive fire at the Taylor Farms Processing Facility led to the evacuation of residents as it burned for over 17 hours. Taylor Farms is an agriculture company that processes and delivers many of the salad kits seen in grocery stores. The cause of this fire is currently under investigation.

A few weeks before that, a massive fire engulfed a Walmart distribution center in Plainfield, Indiana where over 1,000 employees shipped food and other supplies all over the region. The fire destroyed the massive 1 million square foot operation.

That same week, one of the largest food facilities of its kind in South Texas caught fire and burned to the ground. Prior to burning down, the Rio Fresh facility in San Juan, Texas, grew, packed and shipped a variety of Texas-grown items including Texas 1015 Sweet Onions, melons, greens, cabbage, and kale. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

In Hermiston, Oregon, in February, a massive food processing facility suddenly exploded, injuring 7 of the nearly 400 employees who work at the Shearer’s Foods plant. According to reports, the cause of the explosion which originated near a boiler is still under investigation.

U.S. fire departments respond to an estimated average of 1,210 fires in warehouse properties per year (excluding refrigerated or cold storage), which represents less than 1% of all structure fires. Fires that were intentionally set and fires caused by electrical distribution and lighting equipment were the leading causes of warehouse fires, each with 18% of the total.

ARTICLE: PAUL MURDOCH 

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE

PHOTO CREDITS: TRI-CITYHERALD.COM

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Paul Murdoch

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

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