CAMILLA, Ga. (WALB) - Two lawsuits filed in Forsyth County Superior Court accuse Tyson Foods, Inc., its subsidiary Keystone Foods, LLC, and Camilla plant manager Todd McKenzie of negligence after a June 2025 explosion at a poultry feed facility in Camilla.

The complaints say contractors Nick William Weeks and Joshua James Harper, employees of Classon Industrial Services, were engulfed in a blast that was “so powerful that it lifted the roof of the plant.”

Weeks later died from his injuries; Harper survived but suffered catastrophic burns, according to the filings.

What the lawsuits allege happened

In the Harper lawsuit (Civil Action No. 26CV-0522-1), the plaintiffs say Weeks and Harper were on the facility’s fifth floor preparing for ductwork repairs when organic dust in storage bins on the floor below ignited.

“The massive and powerful explosion in the bins blew off many of the steel plate hatch covers on the fifth floor and violently projected them approximately 30 feet into the air,” the complaint states. “The explosion then vented into the fifth-floor room where Mr. Harper and Mr. Weeks were located, rapidly filling it with fire and extreme heat, engulfing Mr. Harper and Mr. Weeks.”

The Weeks lawsuit (Civil Action No. 26CV-0524-1) describes similar allegations, including that the explosion originated below the fifth floor and drove fire and extreme heat into the room where the contractors were working.

Injuries described in the filings

Both lawsuits say the contractors were badly burned, walked down about 190 feet of stairs, and were transported by helicopter to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.

• The Weeks complaint alleges Weeks suffered burns to more than 80% of his body and died 24 days later.
• The Harper complaint alleges Harper suffered burns to nearly 70% of his body and will require medical treatment for the rest of his life.

Safety failures and conditions alleged

The lawsuits allege the defendants failed to take required steps to prevent a combustible dust explosion, including:

• Failing to keep areas appropriately clear of combustible dust
• Failing to shut down processes that could generate or ignite dust while contractors were working inside
• Failing to control or remove potential ignition sources
• Lacking appropriate explosion/deflagration venting and isolation barriers to prevent fire and explosions from spreading

The complaints also allege the plant’s grain storage bins were allowed to run dangerously low, increasing oxygen and suspended dust, and that production equipment such as a hammer mill, was operating when it should have been shut down.

The filings note a “hot work permit” was obtained for work that could involve welding or cutting during the repair process — but both complaints allege no hot work was underway at the time of the explosion.

OSHA citations and inspection status

OSHA records show an inspection associated with the Camilla site:

• OSHA inspection: 1837162.015 (Keystone Foods LLC, 340 Industrial Blvd., Camilla)
• Opened: July 1, 2025 (Savannah Area Office)
• Citations issued: Dec. 23, 2025
• Two serious citations with proposed penalties totaling $28,376
• OSHA’s inspection page lists the citations as “contested”

Prior incidents raised in the complaints

Both lawsuits argue the explosion was foreseeable and point to other incidents in Camilla.

The filings reference a prior fatal explosion at another Tyson facility in Camilla months earlier and argue that the companies should have been aware of the risks associated with combustible dust and taken additional steps to prevent another incident.

Damages sought

The lawsuits seek compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a jury trial.

• The Weeks complaint alleges medical expenses in excess of $3,374,351.69.
• The Harper complaint alleges past medical expenses in excess of $8,093,049.60, plus future lifetime medical and rehabilitation needs. Harper’s wife also seeks damages for loss of consortium, according to the lawsuit.

What’s next

Both cases are in the early stages. As of filing, Tyson and the other defendants had not filed responses in court.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.