Updated August 13, 2026: This article was originally published in June 2017, days after Carlos “Charly” Nunez became the fifth worker to die from injuries caused by the Didion Milling explosion in Cambria, Wisconsin. The public record now provides much clearer answers about what happened.
According to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB), the May 31, 2017 combustible dust explosions killed five of the 19 workers on shift and injured the other 14. The workers who died were Pawel Tordoff, Duelle Block, Robert Goodenow, Angel Reyes and Carlos Nunez.
What Caused the Didion Milling Explosion?
The CSB determined that the Didion Milling explosion was caused by the ignition of combustible corn dust inside process equipment, which transitioned into multiple explosions and the collapse of mill buildings. In its final investigation findings, the agency said Didion did not adequately recognize or control combustible dust hazards and lacked important engineering safeguards and safety management systems.
The CSB later explained that workers had noticed an unusual smell or smoke shortly before the blast. Investigators concluded the smoke likely came from a smoldering nest of dust inside the corn-grinding process. When that material ignited, the first explosion and fire spread through the facility and triggered secondary explosions.
Didion Milling Officials Were Convicted or Pleaded Guilty to Federal Crimes
The criminal case resulted in prison sentences, probation, fines and a corporate sentence for Didion Milling officials.
Didion Milling itself pleaded guilty to falsifying environmental and sanitation records. In January 2024, the company was sentenced to pay $10.25 million in restitution to victims of the explosion, a $1 million fine and five years of probation with conditions governing oversight of its operations.
Separately, in December 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that Didion agreed to pay more than $1.8 million in OSHA penalties and make extensive safety and health improvements at the Cambria facility.
The Attorney General at the time said the case showed that “failure to comply with our country’s workplace safety and environmental laws can cost workers their lives.”
CSB Closed All Nine Safety Recommendations Issued to Didion in August 2026
Industrial explosion investigations often depend on records that existed long before anyone was injured. In the Didion case, cleaning and sanitation logs became central evidence because they documented whether required dust-control work was actually being performed.
In other plant, mill and workplace explosion cases, important evidence can include:
- Inspection, maintenance and repair records
- Dust-cleaning or housekeeping logs
- Equipment design documents and manufacturer instructions
- Internal safety reports, audits and prior incident records
- Training records and written safety procedures
- Emails, work orders and records from outside contractors or equipment suppliers
Physical evidence at an explosion scene can also be damaged, moved or discarded during emergency response and cleanup. A legal investigation can focus on preserving that evidence, obtaining records and determining whether a company other than the employer may have contributed to the explosion.
Can Workers or Families File a Lawsuit After an Industrial Explosion?
Sometimes. The legal options depend on how the explosion happened and which companies contributed to it. Workers’ compensation laws can limit lawsuits against an employer, but an injured worker may have a separate claim against a third party such as an equipment manufacturer, contractor, maintenance company or other business whose conduct contributed to the explosion.
Families who lose a loved one may also have a wrongful death claim after an explosion, depending on the facts and the law that applies.
Pritzker Hageman’s explosion lawyers represent people seriously injured in industrial explosions and families who have lost loved ones in explosions across the United States. Our burn injury legal team can review what happened, explain the legal options and determine whether an independent investigation may be appropriate. Contact us by calling 1-888-377-8900, texting 612-261-0856, or filling out a contact form online.