Nitrogen leak at Georgia poultry plant kills 6

Officials say a liquid nitrogen leak at a northeast Georgia poultry plant killed six people on Thursday, with multiple others taken to the hospital. At least three of those injured at the Prime Pak Foods plant in Gainesville were reported in critical condition. Poultry plants rely on refrigeration systems that can include liquid nitrogen. Firefighters, the U.S.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the state fire marshal were investigating the cause of the leak. When leaked into the air, liquid nitrogen vaporizes into an odorless gas that's capable of displacing oxygen. That means leaks in enclosed spaces can become deadly by pushing away breathable air, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.