‘Dairy accident’ in Colorado leaves 6 dead, including high school student: Officials

Officials from the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District responded to a “confined space rescue” at Prospect Ranch in Keenesburg at around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a news release from the agency.

Responding crews arrived and prepared to conduct rescue operations, but “recovered six deceased individuals from the space” instead.

The Weld County Coroner’s Office said that all of the victims were male and that their names and ages will be released after they are identified and next-of-kin have been notified.

The Weld RE-9 School District, meanwhile, has already identified one of the victims as a student in the district.

“The Weld Re-9 School District is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a Highland High School student in a tragic confinement incident at a local dairy last night. This tragedy has deeply affected our school district and community,” the district said in a statement.

The school district is providing counseling and support services to students and staff and said that leadership is keeping the student’s family and friends in their thoughts “during this difficult time.”

In the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District’s news release, the fire chief called the incident a “dairy accident.” The agency had not shared further details about the incident as of Friday morning.

The local coroner’s office said it is investigating the deaths as the possible result of gas exposure in a confined space, but the final cause and manner of death will await autopsy and toxicology results.

Radio traffic from Weld County Fire and EMS revealed that first responders at the scene found a male party passed out in a confined space after a pipe had burst, but another person had been able to get out. The gas led to delays for the first responders as they sought gas masks to enter the building.

Crews then radioed back to dispatch, informing them there were at least five unconscious patients who were about 12 feet down with possible high levels of unknown gases and hydrogen sulfide.

Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic, flammable and colorless gas that has a characteristic rotten egg odor. It can be lethal in high concentrations, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is taking the lead on the investigation, Nexstar’s KDVR has learned.

Dairy Farmers of America shared a statement on the incident with the Associated Press, calling it a “tragic accident.”

“We are deeply saddened by this incident, and our thoughts and most sincere condolences go out to the friends and families of the deceased. At this early stage, we have no further details,” the cooperative of dairy farmers said in a statement.

County records indicate the farm has a dairy milking parlor 32,500 square feet (3,000 square meters) in size. It also has two free-stall barns, one built in 2017 that is more than 450,000 square feet (nearly 42,000 square meters) and another built last year that is more than 100,000 square feet (more than 9,000 square meters).

The Associated Press contributed to this article.