On July 29, a father and his two young daughters lost their lives in a devastating explosion at a Nebraska biofuel plant, where they were trapped under rubble as fire engulfed the building.
32-year-old Dylan Danielson had taken his daughters, 12-year-old Hayven and 8-year-old Fayeah, to work with him at the Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont.
The girls were spending the day with their father ahead of a doctor’s appointment, waiting in the break room for him to finish his shift.
But shortly before noon, a dust fire inside the facility triggered a violent explosion that tore through the building. Sections of the structure collapsed, flames spread rapidly, and thick smoke filled the air. By the time first responders arrived, it was too late.
Now, the chilling words Danielson spoke in his final call to his wife as he lay pinned beneath debris have been revealed.
The final words of a father who lost his life in an explosion have been revealed
Image credits: Diana Doerneman/GoFoundMe
More than a dozen emergency agencies participated in the rescue efforts, including Nebraska Task Force One, but the damage was too severe.
Nearly 24 hours later, crews recovered the body of Dylan Danielson. The remains of Hayven and Fayeah were found later that night.
Image credits: Diana Doerneman/GoFoundMe
“Right after the building collapsed, he was pinned inside of it,” said Robby Baker, Hayven’s stepfather, in an interview with local media.
“He made a phone call to his wife and said where the girls were at, get someone in there to get them out, and he was pinned in, and there was fire all around him.”
Image credits: KETV
“Our lives are in there. We need to get them out,” the father said, thinking only of his daughters as his life was coming to an end.
Image credits: KETV
It was Danielson’s scheduled week to be with his daughter Fayeah, who was excited to spend time with her half-sister Hayven and their biological father.
“It’s his time to get them for one week, one week off. This week was his,” Baker explained. “His boss lets him bring them to work.”
Image credits: Diana Doerneman/GoFoundMe
Danielson was a plant employee at Horizon Biofuels, and was looking forward to sharing his daily activities with his daughters.
When they arrived, the girls were told to wait in the break room, at the bottom of the plant’s main tower.
“It’s supposed to be a sturdy room,” Baker explained. “I don’t know if it’s made for an implosion like this.”
Emergency responders battled extreme heat and unstable conditions, unable to enter the collapsed structure safely
Image credits: Diana Doerneman/GoFoundMe
Drones and helicopters were deployed to assess the wreckage, while family members, including Baker, waited outside the smoldering building for any sign of hope.
“I wish I could talk to her, and tell her to hold on and get down low, and hold onto her little sister,” Baker shared, unable to contain his tears anymore.
“My heart hurts. It hurts for this situation, it’s a tragedy.”
Image credits: Diana Doerneman/GoFoundMe
Governor Jim Pillen later confirmed that state funds would be released to help dismantle the building from top to bottom so that the victims’ bodies could be recovered safely, offering some semblance of solace to the grieving families.
Last Monday (August 4), the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced it had launched a formal investigation.
“This horrific incident should never have happened,” said CSB Chairperson Steve Owens. “We want to prevent a terrible tragedy like this from occurring again.”
Horizon Biofuels was previously fined for serious safety violations
Image credits: Diana Doerneman/GoFoundMe
Horizon Biofuels, which manufactures wood pellets and animal bedding, had been previously cited for five serious Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations.
The government agency is tasked with making sure employers provide safe and healthy working conditions for their employees. In Horizon’s case, they were accused of failing to implement a proper energy control program and failing to protect workers from chemical exposure.
The company was initially fined $12,000, but settled for $6,000.
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OSHA has now opened a new investigation, which is required by law to be completed within six months.
A GoFundMe page was launched last Friday (August 1), raising $11,000 out of a $13,000 goal at the time of writing.
The campaign remembered Hayven as “a beautiful, goofy, caring, and bright ray of sunshine,” and Fayeah as a joyful spirit who had “such a bubbly personality and lit up every room that she entered.”
At the same time, Danielson’s aunt, Kathy Harle, said in a remembrance message that “he was such a good daddy, he really was.”
“Tragic.” Netizens sent their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives that day
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