A worker at a poultry processing plant in Selbyville, Delaware suffered severe injuries in a chemical accident last month.
According to news reports, the 34-year-old employee of Mountaire Farms caused a small chemical explosion when he accidentally mixed two cleaning chemicals together “that cannot be mixed together,” said Fire Chief Matt Sliwa of the Selbyville Volunteer Fire Company (SVFC).
The man, who was filling a 2.5 sprayer he intended to use to clean area of the plant, suffered facial trauma and chemical burns. Emergency responders arriving at the scene determined that his condition was critical and he was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
The Sussex County EMS HazMed Team and Delaware Department of Natural Resources (DNREC) Emergency Response Team (ERT) also responded to the incident, diluting the chemical mixture and diverting it into a ditch.
Mountaire has had a roof fire plus a series of anhydrous ammonia chemical leaks in recent years.