Koch Foods Worker Killed In Ohio Plant Fire; Federal Investigators Step In

Griffin Darrow, 25, of Cincinnati, died of smoke inhalation in a fire and explosion at the Koch Foods plant in Fairfield, Ohio, on February 17. The Butler County Coroner confirmed the cause of death. Two other workers were hospitalized with burn injuries.

The plant is in the northern Cincinnati suburbs. It processes poultry. Koch Foods, headquartered in Park Ridge, Illinois, is one of the largest U.S. poultry processors. It is not affiliated with the politically connected Koch Industries.

Federal investigators arrived the same week. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting workplace inspections, interviewing employees, and reviewing safety procedures. The agency has up to six months to issue citations.

What happened that morning

The fire and explosion occurred during early-shift operations. The exact source has not been released. Fairfield Fire said crews encountered heavy smoke on arrival and worked through the morning to extinguish the blaze. The plant was evacuated.

Darrow was identified by the coroner two days later. He was a relatively new hire, according to former coworkers who spoke to local media on background.

The two hospitalized workers were treated at an area burn center. Their conditions have not been publicly updated.

Koch Foods and the broader poultry safety record

Koch Foods has been cited by OSHA in the past for ergonomic violations and machine guarding failures at other facilities. The company has also been the subject of immigration enforcement actions at several plants.

The poultry processing industry has the highest rates of repetitive-motion injury in U.S. manufacturing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Line speeds, machinery, and the use of immigrant and refugee labor have all been the subject of federal oversight.

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), which represents poultry workers at some facilities, has long pushed for stronger enforcement.

What OSHA will look at

The investigation will examine:

• Whether the equipment involved was properly maintained
• Whether lockout-tagout procedures were followed
• Whether workers had received hazard training appropriate to the equipment
• Whether the facility's emergency response plan was current
• Whether prior incidents or near-misses had been reported

OSHA will determine if workplace safety and health regulations were violated. Citations and fines can follow.

Koch Foods said it is cooperating with the investigation.

The cause of the fire has not been released. We'll publish more as we find out.