Watch Video: Nearly 20,000 Cattle Killed In A 'Catastrophic' Farm Fire In Texas

In West Texas, a dairy farm explosion and?subsequent fire?resulted in the deaths of approximately 18,000 cows, marking the?most significant known?instance of?cattle?deaths in a single event.?

On Monday, the South Fork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt was rocked by an explosion, followed by massive clouds of black smoke that lingered for hours while authorities worked to control the fire.?

The aftermath of the tragic incident revealed that the number of cattle killed was staggering, nearly three times the daily amount of cows slaughtered in the US.

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As per reports, there were no human fatalities. However, one dairy farm worker was rescued and taken to the hospital, where they remain in critical but stable condition as of Tuesday.?

The cause of the explosion is currently unknown, but County Judge Mandy Gfeller speculated that it may have been due to equipment failure. According to?USA Today,?fire officials in Texas will investigate the explosion's?cause.

Around 90% of the farm's total herd, consisting of a mixture of Holstein and Jersey cows, perished in the fire while they were gathered in a holding pen awaiting milking.?

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The financial impact on the farm is expected to be significant as each cow was valued at approximately $2,000, as reported by USA Today.?

According to locals who spoke?to KFDA News Channel 10, the explosion caused a loud boom and produced massive pillars of smoke that could be seen from neighbouring towns.?

The black smoke was visible for miles.?"It was crazy," Kennedy Cleraman, a Dimmitt resident, told KFDA.?"There was a big, massive, black air that looked like fog in the street. And it was all burnt- the place."

Eye-witness videos and photos depict the alarming extent of the smoke that engulfed the surroundings.?

The South Fork Dairy Farm is situated in Castro County, which is recognized as one of the top dairy-producing counties in Texas, with over 30,000 cattle, as reported in Texas'?2021 Annual Dairy Review.

Renzo Sullivan, another Dimmitt resident, spoke to KFDA and said, "It is painful because it's like that's kind of what we do here, and that's how we get our money for like the city and all that. So that's just a major drop for us."

Dimmitt Mayor Roger Malone called the fire "mind-boggling."

"I don't think it's ever happened before around here," Mr Malone said. "It's a real tragedy."

Since the?Animal?Welfare Institute began monitoring barn fires in 2013, this event represents the most significant loss of cattle in a single incident.?

The Animal Welfare Institute?provides recommendations?for preventing barn fires, such as conducting yearly inspections, ensuring access to fire extinguishers, developing an emergency response plan, conducting annual fire safety training, implementing emergency lanes in structures, and other measures.

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