Company, Managers Indicted Following Deadly Incident

A federal grand jury indicted seven people employed by a corn mill in Wisconsin after an explosion killed five workers and injured more than a dozen others. 

The operator of Didion Milling Inc. and six management officials are facing nine criminal counts, including two counts related to willful violations of federal workplace safety standards. 

The incident dates back to May 31, 2017 at one of Didion’s three production facilities. 

The indictment alleges the company did not develop and implement a written program to effectively prevent and remove combustible grain dust accumulations. 

It goes on to say that by not installing venting on a dust filter collector to prevent an explosion, they thereby caused the deaths of multiple employees. 

Other counts allege employees conspired to commit fraud and federal offenses to conceal the violations. 

Three employees also face obstruction of justice charges for providing false and misleading testimony. 

Previously, two shift superintendents pleaded guilty to making false entries in the cleaning and baghouse logs.