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A liquid nitrogen leak at a northeast Georgia poultry plant killed six people Thursday, with nearly a dozen others taken to the hospital.

The leak happened at around 10:12am at Prime Pak Foods, Hall County Fire Department Division Chief Zach Brackett said. 

Five people died at the Gainesville plant before they could be taken to the hospital, while one person died in the emergency room, according to Northeast Georgia Health System spokesperson Beth Downs.

At least 10 other people are currently hospitalized, with three said to be in a critical condition. 

Officials say three Gainesville firefighters and one firefighter from Hall County were among those taken to the hospital, with what Brackett described as respiratory complaints. 

Brackett said about 130 other workers were taken by bus to a nearby church where they were examined for injuries. 

The leak happened after 10am Thursday at Prime Pak Foods in Gainesville (seen above)

The leak was initially reported as an ‘explosion’ by some officials, but investigators now say no blast occurred. 

When emergency responders arrived, Brackett said authorities ‘found a large contingent of employees that had evacuated, along with multiple victims that were in that crowd that were also experiencing medical emergencies around the facility.’

Brackett said additional resources were then requested, and the incident was designated a Hazardous Materials Response (HAZMAT) at 10:18am. 

‘No explosion has occurred as had been falsely reported on social media,’ Brackett clarified. ‘The product in question that’s involved in this incident has been confirmed to be liquid nitrogen.

‘It was a leak of unknown cause that has occurred in the system here,’ he continued. ‘We still have a lot of information we’re trying to gather from the scene.’

Brackett said firefighters, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the state fire marshal were investigating the cause of the leak. Poultry plants rely on refrigeration systems that can include liquid nitrogen. 

Department Division Chief Zach Brackett (above) said about 130 workers were taken by bus to a nearby church where they were examined for injuries; some were then taken to the hospital

Sean Couch, another spokesperson for the health system, also spoke during the press conference, adding that of the 10 injured patients at the hospital, three were in critical condition. Five were being treated in the emergency room and were in fair condition, he said. 

Hall County school officials said students in the nearby Lyman Hall Elementary school were being kept safe inside and said the leak was contained and not airborne. The shelter in place order was later lifted Thursday afternoon.

About 1.5 miles of a road that runs in front of the plant and school remains closed, with motorists told to avoid the area.

Speaking to CBS46, a Gainesville woman, who wasn’t named, said she was worried about her uncle who was injured in the leak because she’s not been able to get hold of him.

‘I’m just praying he’s okay,’ the woman said, fighting back tears. ‘[I’m hoping] he was just one of the ones injured and they just haven’t gotten his information yet to let us know he’s okay.

‘But we also know that might not be the case. It’s just stressful to not know and he won’t answer his phone.’ 

The leak was initially reported as an ‘explosion’ by some officials, but investigators now say no blast occurred

State Gov. Brian Kemp released a statement Thursday afternoon, calling the leak a ‘tragedy’ and said his heart is ‘broken’ after hearing the news.

‘I ask all Georgians to join us in praying for the families facing a terrible loss and the other employees who are receiving medical care. May God be a hand of comfort, and healing in the days ahead.’

Prime Pak Foods merged into Foundation Food Group, a company that takes raw chicken and processes it into products like chicken fingers and individual chicken cuts for restaurants and food service operations. The company’s CEO did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Gainesville is the center of Georgia’s poultry industry, which is the nation’s largest, with thousands of employees working for multiple processing plants.

Authorities have scheduled an additional press conference for 3:30pm local time.