Sun Prairie-based Didion Milling Inc. has agreed to pay $940,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging multiple violations at a plant that was the scene of a fatal explosion in 2017, the Associated Press reports. The Justice Department asked the Legislature’s finance committee on Wednesday for permission to accept the settlement.
A lawsuit against Didion Milling Inc. in November 2020 alleged that state inspectors discovered 30 violations at the company’s Cambria corn mill in 2019, including emissions, record-keeping and reporting violations.
Five Didion employees were killed in a grain dust explosion at the mill in May 2017. Last year, a federal grand jury charged the company with fraud and conspiracy in connection with the explosion, alleging the company failed to keep up with cleanings at the plant and falsified records to make it appear as if the cleanings were completed. The company responded to the charges by insisting the explosion was an accident.
Today, the company provided the following statement:
“Didion has fully cooperated with department officials to resolve this matter. While we may not agree on the details of the allegations, the company has agreed to a resolution in the spirit of moving forward. We reaffirm our commitment to a safe, clean, and healthy environment.”
The case is set to go to trial in October.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated from an earlier version to include a statement from Didion Milling Inc.
