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Tag: Keenesburg

  • OSHA fines 3 companies $247,000 after 6 die of gas exposure at dairy farm near Keenesburg

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    The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Tuesday that it had cited and fined three Weld County companies a combined $247,000 after it determined six people died following a hazardous gas exposure at a Weld County dairy farm in August.

    Prospect Ranch LLC, which operates Prospect Valley Dairy east of Keenesburg, faces $132,406 in penalties after OSHA cited the company for failure to protect workers from atmospheric hazards, failure to communicate the hazards in writing and failure to train workers on how to detect hazardous gases, according to a U.S. Department of Labor news release.

    Fiske faces $99,306 in fines and HD Builders faces $14,897 in penalties for failure to protect employees from atmospheric hazards and failure to provide hydrogen sulfide detection training. HD Builders employees were present during the incident, but were not harmed.

    Fiske, based in Johnstown, is a construction and consulting company that provides equipment for dairy farms and other industrial services. HD Builders, based in Windsor, is owned by Agrifab Colorado, according to county records, and is a construction company specializing in agricultural equipment and structures.

    OSHA’s investigation into the Aug. 20 incident found that a pipe in Prospect Valley Dairy’s manure management system had disconnected and released manure water and hydrogen sulfide gas, according to the news release. Contractors from Fiske and HD Builders had been hired to work on the system.

    Hydrogen sulfide occurs naturally in crude petroleum and natural gas, but is also produced from decomposing manure, according to OSHA. In low doses, it is mildly irritating to eyes and lungs, but in high doses in a confined area it can quickly become deadly.

    A Fiske employee and a Prospect Ranch employee attempted to stop the flow of the gas but died due to the exposure, according to the investigation. Three more Fiske employees and one Prospect Ranch employee entered the pump room where the gas was leaking and also died.

    Weld County Chief Deputy Coroner Jolene Weiner confirmed the identities of the six victims as Oscar Espinoza Leos, 17, Carlos Espinoza Prado, 29, Noé Montanez Casanas, 32, Jorge Sanchez Pena, 36, Ricardo Gomez Galvan, 40, and Alejandro Espinoza Cruz, 50. In October, the coroner confirmed that the men died due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas. 

    Four of the people who died were part of the same extended family, including father Espinoza Cruz and his sons Oscar Espinoza Leos and Espinoza Prado. They were related to Sanchez Pena by marriage, who lived in the employer-provided housing. The family worked in machinery repair for multiple dairy farms in the area.

    The companies have 15 business days after receiving their citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA or contest the findings, officials said.

    County records show the dairy farm is owned by Prospect Valley Dairy and Colorado business registrations show a Bakersfield, California, address for the owners of Prospect Ranch.

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  • 6 men who died at Weld County dairy killed by hydrogen sulfide exposure

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    The six workers who died in August at a dairy east of Keenesburg were killed by exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas, the Weld County Coroner confirmed Thursday afternoon.

    On Aug. 20, Oscar Espinoza Leos, 17; Carlos Espinoza Prado, 29; Noe Montanez Casanas, 32; Jorge Sanchez Pena, 36; Ricardo Gomez Galvan, 40; and Alejandro Espinoza Cruz, 50, were found dead at Prospect Valley Dairy, 32063 Weld County Road 18.

    Espinoza Cruz was the father of both Espinoza Prado and Espinoza Leos, an online student at Highland High School. The Espinozas also were related by marriage to Sanchez Pena, who lived at the dairy in employer-provided housing, according to Ana Schultz, a representative of Project Protect Food Systems Workers, a support network for food workers. Montanez Casanas also lived at the dairy, she said.

    Initially, crews from Southeast Weld Fire Protection District responded to a confined space rescue. When first responders arrived, they noted the men may have been exposed to high levels of hydrogen sulfide, according to archived radio transmissions.

    Following the tragedy, two agricultural safety experts told the Denver Post that in their decades of work, they had never seen six people die from hydrogen sulfide in the same exposure incident.

    Hydrogen sulfide occurs naturally in crude petroleum and natural gas, but is also produced from decomposing manure. Low doses of exposure to the gas, also called H2S, can cause mild irritation to people’s eyes and respiratory system, but exposure to large amounts in a confined space can quickly become deadly, OSHA stated.

    The Keenesburg deaths came a year after a similar incident at a Fort Morgan sugar plant.

    One person died and four others were hospitalized in May 2024 after being exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas at the Western Sugar Cooperative.

    An OSHA investigation into that incident found multiple Western Sugar workers had been exposed to the gas when it was emitted from a pipe containing water with by-products from sugar beets, dirt, mud and chemicals used in water treatment.

    Investigators found 11 “serious” violations and issued the cooperative more than $168,000 in fines. The company ended up settling with OSHA, accepting $59,917 in penalties.

    Project Food Systems Workers Development Director Hunter Knapp called on legislators to take action to protect farmworkers from similar dangers.

    He suggested adding protections to state statute related to confined spaces and requiring workers dealing with hydrogen sulfide to wear gas monitors.

    The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment previously said it is not aware of any state certifications or training required for people who work in areas with potential high exposure to hydrogen sulfide. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said it does not enforce any statutes related to the training or regulation of toxic gas.

    The dairy incident remains under investigation by the OSHA, as well as the Weld County Sheriff’s Office.

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  • ‘Hits close to home’: How the community is coming together to fundraise for Colorado dairy accident victims

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    GREELEY, Colo. — After tragedy hit on Wednesday, a salon is hoping to bring the community together and support the families who lost their loved ones in the deadly dairy accident in Keenesburg. Slay’d by T.J. is hosting cuts for a cause on Sunday, where all are welcome to stop by, with a minimum $20 donation.

    Earlier this week, Denver7 reported on the “dairy accident” in Keenesburg, where six people died, and looked for answers as to how this could have happened. On Friday, the Weld County Coroner’s Office released the six identities of the victims, including Oscar Espinoza Leos, a high school student, and his father, Alejandro Espinoza Cruz.

    Yulissa Orquiz, the manager of the salon, shared her family’s personal connection to one of the victims and her hope for the community to come together during this time of tragedy.

    Jim Waltz

    “We’re really close with the youngest victim, Oscar. He was basically like a little brother for me and my family,” Orquiz said. “He was my brother’s best friend, and so it just hits really close to home for us to help out and try and relieve as much financial stress as we can from his mom because she lost her husband and her son, so it’s just really hard.”

    The salon will open on Sunday at 10 a.m. and close around 6 p.m. with four barbers working to help raise funds. Orquiz is praying for a good outcome, encouraging everyone to come and donate to help these families during this time.

    “I just want to make sure that Oscar’s mom knows that she has a whole community behind her and that we’re willing to help, obviously, not just with those victims, but all the victims,” Orquiz said.

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    Jim Waltz

    Orquiz confirmed 100% of the funds raised will go directly to the families and shared the significance of this event to those who knew Oscar.

    “One of the main reasons that we’re doing haircuts is because, obviously, my career is a cosmetologist. But, aside from working at the lechery that [Oscar] worked at and going to school. He also was a barber, so he cut hair, so I feel like it makes it even more special, more of a big deal for me,” Orquiz said.

    Besides the hair-cutting event, there will also be a car wash event on the 30th and a benefit dance featuring live music along with a silent auction to help raise funds. Oqruiz also made several donation jars for businesses in Greeley to use to collect donations. There is also a GoFundMe to support with “funeral expenses, memorial arrangements, and any immediate needs as they begin to navigate life without their loved ones.”

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    Denver7

    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Maggy Wolanske

    Denver7’s Maggy Wolanske is a multimedia journalist who covers topics that have an impact across Colorado, but specializes in reporting on climate and environment, as well as stories impacting animals and wildlife. If you’d like to get in touch with Maggy, fill out the form below to send her an email.

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