‘Some shifts’ continue after Dodge City explosion injures two Cargill employees

Update 11:55 a.m.:

Cargill announces “some shifts have been suspended today while fabrication shifts remain on schedule.” A spokesman initially said the facility would be closed for the day.

Original 9:06 a.m.:

Two Cargill employees have been flown to a Wichita hospital after being burned in an explosion at the Dodge City facility Thursday morning, Cargill media relations director Daniel Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the explosion happened in a small, stand-alone building away from the main facility. He thought the two employees were the only ones in the building. Sullivan said they stopped production for the day after the explosion, which happened at around 3:30 a.m.

It is not yet known what caused the explosion.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority,” Sullivan said. “So we want to make sure everything is OK before we go back to work.”

Sullivan said the Dodge City protein facility employs 2,700 people. He did not know the condition of the employees injured in the explosion.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as information becomes available. Check back with Kansas.com for updates.

This story was originally published October 17, 2019 at 9:06 AM.