[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 14675-14676]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   CONAGRA EXPLOSION OF JUNE 9, 2009

  (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, it is always difficult when tragedy rocks 
our small communities. Yesterday morning an explosion rocked the

[[Page 14676]]

ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, causing the collapse of 
a significant portion of that structure and rupturing an ammonia tank. 
Many of my colleagues here saw that on the national news.
  Many times it's nice to make national news, but yesterday was not the 
day to make national news. Three people tragically died: Barbara McLean 
Spears of Dunn, North Carolina; Lewis Junior Watson of Clayton, North 
Carolina; and Rachel Mae Poston Pulley of Clayton, North Carolina. Our 
sympathies go out to their families, friends and their loved ones. 
There were 40 other people injured, including four who suffered 
critical burns. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their 
families as they recover.
  As usual, when there is an emergency of this size in our community, 
our first responders--fire, police and EMS--were quick to the scene and 
prevented further loss of life or injury. Private citizens risked their 
well-being to come to the aid of their friends and neighbors. I'm proud 
of the North Carolinians who responded yesterday to the needs of these 
individuals and their families and those who will respond in the days 
to come.
  Our small communities are enriched by businesses like ConAgra, which 
provides 900 jobs in this community. This one was the largest plant of 
ConAgra's plants. I am pleased to learn that they have set up a relief 
fund for the victims, and they are working to rebuild the plant. I ask 
my colleagues to join me in a moment of sympathy for these victims and 
their families.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will rise for a moment of silence in 
sympathy.

                          ____________________