Feds investigating worker’s death in massive plant fire at Koch Foods

Video above is from previous coverage

FAIRFIELD, Ohio (WXIX) - Federal authorities confirm they are investigating after a Koch Foods worker was killed and two others were hospitalized with burn injuries in a massive fire and explosion at the company’s plant in the northern Cincinnati suburbs.

Sunday’s incident triggered a two-mile shelter-in-place order due to concerns over a potential ammonia gas leak.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will determine if workplace safety and health regulations were violated.

As part of their investigation, OSHA will conduct inspections and interview employees and witnesses.

If any occurred, OSHA can issue citations and propose fines.

The federal agency will also compile a final report that will be made available to the public.

“We can confirm that OSHA has opened an investigation into this incident. OSHA has six months to complete this investigation,” an OSHA spokesman told FOX19 NOW Tuesday morning.

“During that time, no additional information will be provided.

“Updates may be found on OSHA’s Establishment Search page at https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/establishment.html."

Pattern of OSHA violations

Koch Foods is one of the largest poultry processors in the U.S with more than 13,000 employees.

They specialize in processing, manufacturing and distributing fresh and frozen chicken products for customers such as Aldi, Burger King, Kroger and Walmart.

Koch Foods operates facilities in several states besides Ohio, including Tennessee, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

Koch Foods location in Fairfield is one of Butler County’s largest employers with an estimated 2,000 employees, according to the city of Fairfield’s website.

A review of online federal records, however, shows the Koch Foods of Cincinnati LLC in Fairfield has faced several separate OSHA investigations over the year regarding worker safety, 16 since 2017, indicating a clear pattern of violations.

When FOX19 NOW reached out to representatives of Koch Foods about this on Tuesday as well as the new OSHA investigation due to the fatal fire, we were referred to a public relations firm that provided the following response on the company’s behalf:

“At Koch Foods, our policy is not to comment on any past or current investigations.

“Right now, the priority is to determine the facts as we continue to cooperate with local authorities. It would be irresponsible to speculate on any aspect of this incident.

“Right now, our focus is on supporting families affected by this incident and our team members.”

In 2020, OSHA cited Koch Foods for multiple safety violations following an investigation that began earlier that year.

The total proposed fine was $236,142 after an employee’s hand was caught in a machine while they were trying to dislodge a jammed bag.

“At 7:45 a.m. on May 14, 2020, an employee was trying to remove a bag that was stuck in the packing machine,” the investigation summary reads.

“The employee laid down on the conveyor system to try to remove the bag, grabbed the bag, and then activated the cutter. This resulted in the employee’s right hand being caught in the cutting section of the packing machine. The employee (33 years old) suffered a partial amputation to the right thumb and amputation of the right index finger. The employee was treated without hospitalization.”

OSHA identified repeat violations of failing ot train workers on lockout/tagout (hazardous energy control) and failing to establish machine-specific procedures.

They also found serious violations of failing to certify periodic inspections of energy control procedures.

The company was previously cited for similar issues in January 2016.

OSHA issued ‘serious’ citation last month

Just last month, OSHA issued a “serious” citation with a $16,550 penalty to Koch Foods following an investigation into a November 24, 2025, complaint.

A serious OSHA violation occurs when there is a strong likelihood that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard, and the employer knew or should have known of the violation.

These can carry penalties of up to $17,000 per violation.

OSHA concluded last month in this case that there was a failure to ensure stable and secure storage, federal records show.

“On or about November 13, 2025, the employer did not ensure that materials stored on the racking system in Zone 20 were stable and secure against sliding or collapse,” the violation states.

“While one employee was removing a combo from the third level of the rack, another employee pushed a combo from the opposite side, causing an unsecured wire deck to slide and dislodge a combo, which fell and struck the first employee.”

Koch Foods has until next week - Wednesday, Feb. 25 - to complete all the necessary repairs, training, or safety improvements to reach compliance, if they are not already done.

Failure to meet this date can result in additional fines and penalties.

In other recent incidents, Koch Foods was fined $16,131 in May 2024 over a fundamental machine safety violation the year prior: Failure to provide adequate guarding on rotating/cutting equipment.

“On or about December 27, 2023, the employer did not ensure the Weiler brand Dominator 14’s grinder blade was guarded to prevent employees from touching the cutting blade during operation.”

Fire crews forced to halt initial search for victim

Sunday’s blaze at the 600,000 square-foot facility over 14 acres took seven hours to put out, Fairfield Deputy Fire Chief Steve Conn told FOX19 NOW.

It was so big that, at one point, a portion of the roof collapsed.

Fire crews had to abandon their search for the worker whose body was later found “due to untenable heat and structural conditions,” Conn said.

The man was found “near partially collapsed structural components within the fire area,” he said.

The Greater Cincinnati Hazardous Materials Unit responded because there are ammonia tanks inside the plant.

There was a potential for a “significant ammonia release,” according to Conn.

The tanks were isolated and secured.

Still, as a precaution, Butler County’s Emergency Management Agency issued a shelter-in-place order for a two-mile radius around 4 a.m.

It was lifted shortly after 7:30 a.m. Sunday.

The hazardous materials team remained on scene monitoring the atmosphere, Conn said.

Koch Foods is one of the region’s largest employers, and this fire has significantly impacted their operations, Conn said.

They process millions of pounds of food a day there, he told FOX19 NOW.

[Watch more from FOX19 NOW]

Damage will be ‘into the tens of millions’

A damage estimate has not been released yet, but the deputy fire chief said Monday, “It’ll be into the tens of millions, if not more. I can’t even begin to guess. And then there is lost revenue....”

Koch “company officials are coordinating efforts to plan for the next steps in their recovery,” Conn said.

The portion of the plant where the fire occurred is the most recently built building, and a third one has been under construction, he said during a news conference Monday.

There’s been small fires there before, he said.

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