A chemical spill at a cheese factory in New Mexico released toxic gas and injured 20 people on Monday, officials said.
The Curry County Sheriff's Office confirmed the incident to Fox News Digital. Authorities were called to the incident at Southwest Cheese Factory in Clovis around 9:15 a.m. Monday.
When emergency responders arrived, they discovered a chemical spill had released toxic gases in parts of the plant.
“Due to an equipment failure, 8.67 gallons of acid were found to have spilled, mixing with 0.61 gallons of chlorine,” the Curry County Sheriff's Office said in a press release. “The chemical mixture created a toxic gas that spread to some areas of the facility.”
Leak at Houston chemical plant kills 2 people, injures at least 35
A chemical spill at the Southwest Cheese Factory in Clovis, New Mexico injures 20 workers. (Google Maps)
Sheriff Michael Brockett told Fox News Digital that two of the injured workers were in critical condition. A total of 14 employees were taken to two local hospitals.
Officials did not provide additional details about the severity of their injuries, but some of the sick workers were removed by private vehicles.
“The Clovis Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team was activated and responded to the scene,” the press release states. “New Mexico State Police are working with Southwest Cheese regarding the removal of hazardous chemicals.”
BioLab factory fire: Georgia residents evacuated as toxic smoke billows from chemical fuel inferno
According to the company's website, Southwest Cheese specializes in making hard cheese and whey products. (Google Maps)
According to Southwest Cheese's website is The company specializes in producing hard cheese and whey products. The company's whey products include whey concentrate, used in dairy products such as ice cream, and whey isolate, used in protein bars.
“Using only the freshest milk sourced from local dairy farms, Southwest Cheese produces premium cheese and high-quality whey protein powder for customers around the world,” the company's website states. is stated. “Each milk delivery is thoroughly tested for antibiotics and other contaminants. Any milk that does not meet our high quality standards is rejected.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Southwest Cheese for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
The Curry County Sheriff's Office and other agencies are investigating the incident. (Google Maps)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Authorities are investigating the incident. Further details are unknown at this time.
