Authorities confirmed on Thursday that the six people who died at a Colorado dairy farm in August were exposed to toxic hydrogen sulfide gas, according to autopsies and toxicology reports.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes that exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas at “very high concentrations can quickly lead to death.” However, the autopsy reports did not detail the exact circumstances that led to the fatalities.
Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas with a distinct rotten-egg odor. OSHA warns that even survivors of high exposure may experience lasting health effects, including headaches and reduced attention span.
The victims were identified as Ricardo Gomez Galvan, Noe Montañez Casañas, Carlos Espinoza Prado, Jorge Sanchez Pena, Alejandro Espinoza Cruz, and 17-year-old Oscar Espinoza Leos. Cruz was the father of both Leos and Prado, and the men were also related to Pena through marriage, said Jolene Weiner, chief deputy coroner for Weld County.
The tragedy occurred at Prospect Ranch, located in a rural area near Keenesburg, Colorado, less than 40 miles northeast of Denver.
When the incident was first reported in August, authorities immediately suspected gas exposure as the cause. “We are investigating these deaths as the possible consequence of gas exposure in a confined space,” Weiner said at the time.
In late August, rescue crews from the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District responded to a report of a “confined space” emergency and discovered the bodies of the six workers, five men and one teenager, after what appeared to be a tragic accident.
The event deeply affected the local community, which rallied around the victims’ families with fundraising efforts such as dances, car washes, and church-led memorials.
“People are in shock. Everybody in the ranching and dairy community knows it’s difficult, hard work and there are accidents,” said Rev. Thomas Kuffel, who serves Catholic parishes including Holy Family in Keenesburg. “But this is very foreign to them, in that accidents are typically one or two people.”
Fox News Digital reached out to OSHA for comment, but the agency’s message indicated that responses may be delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown.
