Wisconsin corn mill owners plead to federal charges in fatal explosion, will pay $11.25 million

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Wisconsin corn mill owners plead to federal charges in fatal explosion, will pay $11.25 million

Updated 4:48 PM EDT, September 28, 2023

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A milling company has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges that employees at a Wisconsin corn plant falsified records in the years leading up to a fatal corn dust explosion.

The plea deal calls for Didion Milling Inc. to pay a $1 million fine and $10.25 million to the estates of the five workers who were killed in the blast at the company’s Cambria mill in May 2017, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Thursday.

The company also has agreed to a five-year “organizational probation” and must allow federal inspectors to visit the mill without advance notice up to twice a year.

A federal grand jury indicted Didion last year on nine counts, including falsifying records, fraud and conspiracy. According to court documents, Didion shift employees and supervisors knowingly falsified logbooks inspectors use to determine whether the plant was handling corn dust safely and complying with dust-cleaning rules from 2015 until May 2017.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-corn-mill-explosion-plea-agreement-fd0b0e408e83fb002de52254b52b2c83

[marble falls]

1. Grain dust is a widowmaker all over the US. This is what happens when regulations and ...

... enforcement is kneecapped by the GOP.

[Bluethroughu]

2. Wow, I had no idea these could blow up.

I lived in a town near one of these, we had to move because the corn dust was terrible and triggered my Asthma. We were sick all the time.

[marble falls]

3. Grain dust, flour, sugar, coal dust and quite few others are highly explosive. And we won't ...

... even mention how many find themselves in a 'quick sand' situation in a grain silo.

[Bluethroughu]

4. I've heard of the grain silo quicksand situation, but beside the

Coal dust, I had no idea on the others. Just scary.

When I've read about the fires or explosions in these plants, I thought it was because of chemicals not dust...that's frightening.