Two found dead at North Carolina animal processing plant

Two employees at a Fayetteville, North Carolina, factory were found dead Sunday in an incident that required a hazmat team.

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office was called to Valley Proteins around 1:30 p.m. when the employees were found “unresponsive,” according to a statement from officials late Sunday.

Neither has been identified, pending notification of their next of kin.

Details are scarce, but responding agencies included the City of Fayetteville Fire Department HAZMAT, Pearce’s Mill Volunteer Fire Department and the North Carolina OSHA Emergency Response Team.

The building was evacuated and cleared.

Two employees were found unresponsive at the Fayetteville Valley Proteins processing plant.

“Our deepest sympathies are with their families, friends, and coworkers during this time,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

A spokesperson for the department did not return a request for more information Monday.

Valley Proteins, which has more than 30 plants around the country, “provides services for the collection, rendering and recycling of animal processing and supermarket waste streams (fat and bone trimmings; meat/poultry waste) and restaurant used cooking oil,” according to its website.