Imperial Food Products

Description

24 workers and a delivery man died when hydraulic fluid from a conveyor belt under repair sprayed over a gas-fired chicken fryer. The incident caused a fireball, which filled the plant with smoke. In addition to fatalities, the incident caused 56 workers to sustain injuries and left over 150 workers without jobs due to the plant’s closure. State officials found after the incident that the plant had no sprinklers or fire alarm and place. Further, exits were not properly marked and doors were locked when the fire broke out. The state OSH agency had not inspected the plant in the previous 11 years.

Prosecutors

Assistant District Attorney David Graham

Additional Materials

Folder for Imperial Food Products materials

Available case materials include

Media Clips & Gov't. Press

OSHA Inspection

OSHA inspection detail

Contact for Additional Information

Unavailable

Victims

First	Last	Age	Title	Employer	Injury Type
Unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Imperial Food Products Inc.	Fatality
Unavailable	Info unavailable	Info unavailable	Delivery man	Info unavailable	Fatality

Defendants

Name	Type	Title	Plea Information	Conviction Sentence
Emmett J. Roe	Individual	Owner	Pleaded guilty to 25 counts of involuntary manslaughter	Sentenced to serve 19 years, 11 months in prison. Could receive parole before full sentence served. In exchange for his guilty plea, the state dropped charges against plant managers James Hair and Brad Roe.
Penal Crimes Charged Involuntary Manslaughter (25 counts)			Other Crimes Charged Unavailable
James N. Hair	Individual	Plant Manager	Unavailable	In exchange for the owner, Emmett Roe's, guilty plea, the state dropped charges against plant managers James Hair and Brad Roe.
Penal Crimes Charged Involuntary Manslaughter (25 counts)			Other Crimes Charged Unavailable
Brad M. Roe	Individual	Plant Manager	Unavailable	In exchange for the owner, Emmett Roe's, guilty plea, the state dropped charges against plant managers James Hair and Brad Roe.
Penal Crimes Charged Involuntary Manslaughter (25rn counts)			Other Crimes Charged Unavailable

Description

Prosecutors

Incident Type

County

State