Federal officials say a natural gas leak caused the explosion at ConAgra’s Slim Jim plant in Garner, NC, that killed 3 workers and injured 38 others.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) says the gas ignited in a room housing vacuum pumps for sealing the snacks.
The ATF believes the gas was sparked by equipment such as a fan motor or thermostat, but another cause, such as static electricity, can’t be ruled out yet.
OSHA and the Chemical Safety Board are both conducting further investigations.
About 300 workers were inside the plant at the time of the explosion. Of the 38 injured, 4 received critical burns.
See our previous story here regarding this explosion and emergency evacuation plans.
