A court in the UK has heard that two pest control workers were found dead in a freezer at a chicken processing plant in 2023. The bodies of Nathan Walker, 19, and Gavin Rawson, 35, were discovered at the Pilgrim's Pride factory in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire, on November 23, 2023.
An inquest into their deaths was opened and adjourned in December 2023. The preliminary hearing was told the men were believed to have been overcome by a gas leak while working in the freezer. A full inquest to determine the exact circumstances is scheduled for a later date.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain's workplace safety regulator, launched an investigation into the incident. The investigation is ongoing, and no further details from the official inquiry have been released to the public as of April 2026.
Pilgrim's Pride UK, a subsidiary of the US-based food giant Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, operates the plant. The company stated at the time of the incident that it was cooperating fully with the authorities.
