CLOVIS, N.M. — Authorities are currently investigating a mechanical malfunction that led to 20 employees being exposed to hazardous gases at a cheese production facility in eastern New Mexico.
According to the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, over a dozen workers were taken to local hospitals via ambulance and private transport on Monday morning after a chemical reaction between acid and chlorine led to the release of toxic fumes. Among those affected, two individuals were reported to be in critical condition.
Emergency response teams were dispatched following reports of a strong odor at the Southwest Cheese plant. The Clovis Fire Department’s hazardous materials team assisted in managing the situation, allowing operations to restart later that same morning.
In a statement released on Monday, Southwest Cheese indicated that preliminary findings suggest the incident was triggered by a chemical overflow resulting from a mechanical malfunction in one area of the facility. The resulting vapors impacted employees working nearby.
The company confirmed that the area where the incident occurred was swiftly secured in line with their established incident response procedures.
Established in 2005, Southwest Cheese is a significant player in the dairy industry, processing billions of pounds of milk annually and producing over 588 million pounds (266,712 metric tons) of block cheese, along with more than 36 million pounds (16,329 metric tons) of whey protein powder.
