A Georgia family is grieving the loss of a loved one while authorities are investigating an explosion that occurred early in the morning of a recent Sunday. The workplace accident that claimed this man’s life happened at a grain mill in Rockmart at a facility at which poultry feed is manufactured. Five workers had to be hospitalized with injuries of varied severity, and it was reported that one of them was still in the hospital at the time of this report, nine days after the incident.
State and federal investigators reported that it has been determined that criminal activity was not involved in this incident. A preliminary report indicates that although the fire was fed by accumulations of grain dust, the cause of the initial explosion remains under investigation. The first explosion reportedly occurred at the bottom of a tower in the vicinity of the receiving area.
Investigators will continue to work on determining the sequence of events that led to the first of a series of explosions that occurred. Authorities said the investigation may take months to complete. In the meantime, flags at the plant remain at half-staff to honor the worker who was killed in the explosion.
Thinking of money may not come naturally in the aftermath of a loved one’s death in a workplace accident, but the reality of the costs of end-of-life arrangements will have to be faced. The added dilemma of the sudden loss of income of the deceased worker can worsen the financial stability of the surviving family. Relief is available, and the family of a deceased worker may pursue death benefits through the Georgia workers’ compensation insurance program.
Source: northwestgeorgianews.com, “Initial findings at JCG Farms in Rockmart lead to dust as culprit for blast that killed 1”, Kevin Myrick, Feb. 16, 2016