6 people killed after liquid nitrogen leak at a food processing plant

Six people were killed and 10 were taken to a hospital after a liquid nitrogen leak at a food processing plant in Gainesville, Georgia, officials said.

Fire crews from Hall County and Gainesville responded to a report of burns at Prime Pak Foods around 10:12 a.m. Thursday, said Zachary Brackett from Hall County Fire Services.

Units arrived and found a large group of employees that had evacuated, along with multiple people who were experiencing medical emergencies in and around the facility, Brackett said.

Five people died at the scene, Brackett said. One person died after arriving at Northeast Georgia Health System, a hospital spokesman said.

At least nine patients were taken to the hospital in Gainesville. They include three Gainesville firefighters and one Hall County firefighter who had respiratory complaints.

Three patients are in the critical care unit, one is in the emergency department and the other five are in fair condition, the hospital spokesman said.

Brackett said there was no explosion, and the cause of the leak remains under investigation.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office is managing the investigation, Brackett said. The Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office and Occupational Safety and Health Administration are also on scene.