That person had been considered missing since fire crews at the Greater Cincinnati Hazardous Materials Unit responded to the fire and explosion at 4100 Port Union Road at 3:30 a.m.
“The fire victim was located early in the day, however due to structural compromise and untenable condition, was not able to be accessed until late afternoon,” Deputy Fire Chief Steven Conn told Journal-News on Monday.
Firefighters operated in a defensive mode to contain the blaze, which was declared extinguished after approximately seven hours, according to Fairfield Fire Department
Two people were injured in the blaze and taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where they were treated and released.
“The fire victim was located early in the day Sunday, however due to structural compromise and untenable condition, was not able to be accessed until late afternoon” on Sunday, Conn said.
Fairfield Fire Chief Tom Lakamp said a roof collapsed in the blaze, making it difficult for firefighters to get inside.
“The event and fire created hazardous conditions involving the facility’s anhydrous ammonia system,” Fairfield Fire Department said. “As a precaution due to the potential for a significant ammonia release, the Butler County Emergency Management Agency issued a shelter-in-place order for a two-mile radius surrounding the facility.”
A shelter-in-place order was enacted and then lifted at approximately 7:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the fire department.
The Butler County Emergency Management Agency utilized a reverse 911 system to notify residents of the shelter in place, the fire department said.
The Butler County Hazardous Materials Team remained on scene conducting atmospheric monitoring.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Services Team, operating as part of the Greater Cincinnati Hazmat Unit, responded to the scene and played “a critical operational role.”
“ERS personnel assisted with interagency coordination and operational support while conducted air monitoring throughout the affected area,” Jones said. “The ammonia source was successfully shut off to the building, and air quality readings were determined to be safe.”
At approximately 3:30 a.m. on February 15, 2026, the Greater Cincinnati Hazardous Materials Unit (GCHMU) was activated following a large industrial fire and explosion at Koch Foods, located at 4100 Port Union Road in Fairfield.
— Richard K. Jones (@butlersheriff) February 15, 2026
Initial reports indicated the fire was contained by… pic.twitter.com/rZLF5QDsmN
The fire broke out in Koch Foods’ Plant B, which is at 630 Commerce Center Drive.
When firefighters arrived around 1 a.m., heavy smoke was showing and there was a strong odor, according to reports.
“The explosion and resulting fire caused extensive damage to the 600,000-square-foot facility, including partial structural collapses in the central portion of the building,” the fire department said. “The cause of the reported explosion remains under investigation.”
The Butler County Coroner’s Office is working with the victim’s family, the department said in a release.
No firefighters or emergency personnel were injured during the incident.
Fairfield Fire Department said it maintained two crews on scene overnight to monitor for hotspots and potential chemical releases.
“Drone technology equipped with infrared capabilities was utilized, confirming no heat signatures above 50 degrees and no detectable gas releases through air monitoring systems were reported,” the department said.
Conn told Journal-News Fairfield Fire Department is still figuring out the manpower response.
“We had upwards of 20 different mutual aid and partner agencies assisting us on this incident,” he said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Conn said. The Fairfield Fire Investigations Unit is leading the investigation with assistance from the State Fire Marshal’s office, Conn said.
The Journal-News has reached out to Koch Foods for comment.
Koch Foods is a major poultry processor company and one of Fairfield’s largest employers. It has operated its chicken processing and packaging plants on Port Union Road since 1999.
In 2024, a small fire there caused $50,000 in damage. No one were injured and operations were only briefly interrupted.
That fire was in a mechanical room on the second floor of the main plant and was deemed accidental.
In recent years, Koch Foods has undergone a major expansion and added jobs.
In 2024, it was listed as Butler County’s seventh largest employer with 1,600 employees.
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