Six men were found dead at a dairy farm in Weld County, Colorado, after what officials described as a "confined space" accident that is now under federal investigation. The victims, all Hispanic males, were recovered late Wednesday in Keenesburg, a rural area about 45 miles northeast of Denver.
The Southeast Weld Fire Protection District said its crews responded at about 6 p.m. to a call for a confined space rescue at the 32000 block of Weld County Road 18. "Unfortunately, District personnel recovered six deceased individuals from the space," Fire Chief Tom Beach said in a statement Thursday. "The District extends its sincere condolences to the families of the victims."
The Weld County Coroner's Office said autopsies would be conducted in the coming days and that the deaths are being investigated as possibly the result of gas exposure. Deputy Chief Coroner Jolene Weiner said names and ages would be withheld until family members are notified.
Weld County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Melissa Chesmore confirmed deputies responded to the scene but said "nothing criminal in nature was discovered." The site has been identified by local media as a dairy farm affiliated with the Dairy Farmers of America. The group said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened by this incident, and our thoughts and most sincere condolences go out to the friends and families of the deceased. At this early stage, we have no further details."
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation. "Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the workers who lost their lives at the dairy farm in Keenesburg, Colorado," OSHA said in a statement. Agency spokesperson Chauntra Rideaux said the probe could take up to six months to complete.
Confined spaces are a known workplace hazard, according to OSHA data. At least four deaths in 2025 have been tied to confined space accidents, including asphyxiation in a rail tank car, a fall into a concrete vat, carbon monoxide poisoning in a garage, and head injuries from a fall into a truck tank. In 2024, at least 12 deaths were linked to such accidents, 10 of them involving asphyxiation from low oxygen or chemical exposure.
