IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 540 

Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims 

of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, 

North Carolina, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 12, 2009 

Mr. ETHERIDGE (for himself, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. MILLER of 

North Carolina, Mr. JONES, and Mr. BUTTERFIELD) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved 

ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the 

ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, and 

for other purposes. 

Whereas the people of North Carolina experienced a devastating tragedy when a massive explosion occurred at 

the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, 

shortly before 11:30 a.m. on June 9, 2009; 

Whereas the 500,000-square-foot plant, one of the largest 

owned by ConAgra Foods, employs 900 people, 300 of 

whom were on site when the blast occurred; 

Whereas three workers lost their lives when the explosion 

ripped through the plant; 


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Whereas employee Louis Junior Watson re-entered the building to help a coworker escape and both employees died 

when the structure caved in; 

Whereas at least 40 employees were injured, some suffering 

from exposure to toxic ammonia fumes and at least four 

with critical burns; 

Whereas three brave firefighters were treated for inhalation; 

Whereas North Carolina’s first responders, fire, police, and 

EMS, were quick to the scene and prevented any further 

loss of life or injury, and private citizens risked their 

well-being to come to the aid of their friends and neighbors; 

Whereas the Garner Police and Fire Departments have cooperated with North Carolina Task Force 8 Urban 

Search and Rescue to search and secure the building and 

its periphery; 

Whereas agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wake County Fire Marshal, inspectors from the North Carolina Department of Labor, 

and agents with the United States Chemical Safety 

Board have combined efforts to investigate the cause of 

the explosion; 

Whereas the United States Environmental Protection Agency 

has inspected the site of the explosion to ensure no contamination spreads from the plant; 

Whereas the above mentioned agencies will continue to work 

together with private citizens to investigate the accident, 

provide assistance to families of the victims, and ensure 

public health and safety in this disaster’s aftermath; and 

Whereas ConAgra has established the ConAgra Foods Garner 

Plant Fund in memory of those lost in this tragedy, has 


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set up assistance and relief services for the families of 

the victims, and is helping support surviving workers: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses condolences to the families, 

3 friends, and loved ones of the victims of the explo4 sion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North 

5 Carolina; 

6 (2) honors Barbara McLean Spears of Dunn, 

7 North Carolina, Louis Junior Watson of Clayton, 

8 North Carolina, and Rachel Mae Poston Pulley of 

9 Clayton, North Carolina, who lost their lives in the 

10 explosion, and the 40 others who were injured; 

11 (3) expresses sympathies to the people of Gar12 ner, the entire State of North Carolina, and the Na13 tion who grieve for the victims; and 

14 (4) commends the heroic actions of the Garner 

15 Police and Fire Departments, the quick response of 

16 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Ex17 plosives, and all other first responders, emergency 

18 services personnel, and private citizens who re19 sponded to the crisis. 

Æ 


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