6 Dead in Colorado Dairy Farm Accident
Six men died after exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas at a confined manure pit in a Weld County dairy, with a high school student among the victims, authorities said.
- On Friday, the Weld County Coroner's Office released the names of six men who died earlier this week in a dairy accident at Prospect Valley Dairy east of Keenesburg, including Highland High School student Oscar Espinoza Leos, 17, and Alejandro Espinoza Cruz, 50.
- Investigators say a worker who entered an underground manure pit may have accidentally released hydrogen sulfide by adjusting a valve or pump, exposing others to deadly gas.
- The victims were all male with ages 17 to 50; sources said one worker collapsed and five others entered despite an on-site supervisor's warnings, while four related family members were confirmed by worker advocates and GoFundMe organizer Juan Mendez.
- Federal OSHA has opened a six-month investigation, while Weld County Chief Deputy Coroner Jolene Weiner completed autopsies Friday pending toxicology and further testing.
- Advocates say incidents like the May 2024 Western Sugar Cooperative accident, which incurred over $168,000 in federal fines, highlight risks across Weld County's 2.5 million-acre agricultural sector.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Rural Coloradans mourn 6 people who died of suspected gas exposure at dairy farm
Six workers who died in what authorities suspect was exposure to gas at a dairy farm include a 50-year-old father and two sons, an incident that left rural Colorado communities in mourning.
6 victims in Weld County 'dairy accident' identified as investigation continues
DENVER (KDVR) — Friday night, officials released the names of the six people who died in what officials have been calling a "dairy accident" in Weld County on Wednesday. The six people died after a confined space rescue at a dairy in the 32000 block of County Road 18, which is the site of Prospect Valley Dairy. Southeast Weld Fire District crews were sent to a confined space for the rescue operations on Wednesday evening, ultimately recovering s…
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