Mexico says five of dead in US poultry plant incident were Mexicans

MEXICO CITY: Five of the six people who died in an accident at a Georgia state poultry plant late last month were Mexicans, Mexico’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Five people died at the Foundation Food Group plant in Gainesville, about 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Atlanta, following a suspected liquid nitrogen leak. A sixth person died after being taken to hospital.

The Mexican foreign ministry said in a statement that local authorities had now identified all six of the deceased, “five of whom are of Mexican nationality”.

Mexico’s government has been paying close attention to the conditions under which Mexican laborers work at meat-processing plants in the United States.

At least six people had lost their lives and 12 hospitalized on January 28 after a suspected liquid nitrogen leak at a poultry plant in the U.S. state of Georgia.