Feed plant explosion kills 1 in Rockmart

Fire Chief Todd Queen said an investigation would start early this week into a Sunday explosion at JCG Farms’ feed plant that killed one man and injured five others.

Polk County coroner Tony Brazier said that Justin Deems, 25, of Rockmart, was likely killed instantly in the explosion, which happened at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. The plant on Ga. 101 has a street address of 1750 Rome Highway.

Deems’ body is being taken to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for an autopsy.

Queen said one of the five injured men was flown by helicopter to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta in critical condition. His condition was upgraded to “guarded” later Sunday.

Four others were transported by Redmond and Floyd EMS to Rome hospitals, although one was later taken to a hospital in Marietta. Their names have not been released.

Queen said the Georgia Fire Marshal’s Office asked for help from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco and Firearms to determine what happened.

“Until we and the ATF can get into the building and look and determine how this happened and where it began, we won’t have a good idea of the cause,” Queen said.

A representative from the ATF told the Standard Journal that $3 million in damage was done to the plant.

Seven people were inside the building at the time, and all were accounted for during operations to clear the building early Sunday morning.

Federal investigators are expected to be at the plant for several weeks.

Engineers were called in Sunday to determine the structural integrity of the plant after the explosion caused a partial collapse of a twostory building on site and did significant damage inside the feed mill itself.

Ga. 101 between Brock and Marquette roads were shut down for most of the day, until structural engineers gave the all-clear.

“The problem is that, should it fall, the tower is tall enough to come down in the northbound lane of Highway 101,” Rockmart Police Chief Keith Sorrells said.

The 14-year-old facility, which produces chicken feed, will be closed for some time, he said.

A statement from Alabama- based JCG Farms is expected Monday, but was not available before press time.

Keep track of what’s happening with the investigation and more at Polkstandardjournal. com.

Rome News- Tribune Staff Writer Kristina Wilder contributed to this report.

Debris remained around the JCG Farms feed plant Monday following Sunday’s explosion at the Rockmart plant.

Plant damage is shown in the following photos at JCG Farms feed mill in Rockmart on Monday, following an explosion around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 7. One was killed and five injured in the blast.