JANESVILLE — Police say management at Janesbille manufacturer NaturPak has been uncooperative following two incidents where a total of five employees were injured in the past five weeks.
The Janesville Police Department, in partnership with the Janesville Fire Department, says they have provided all relevant information to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA will lead the investigation to determine the root cause of these incidents, evaluate compliance with workplace safety regulations, and implement measures aimed at preventing future occurrences, according to a JPD news release.
It is unknown whether both incidents are related. The condition of the injured employees has not been updated.
In the first incident, on February 11, 2026, at approximately 4:15 p.m., the Rock County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting an equipment explosion at the facility.
Police and fire personnel responded to the scene. One employee was transported to a local medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries, while a second employee was flown by helicopter to a medical facility for life-threatening injuries.
Preliminary information indicated a pressure relief valve on a tank used for boiling broth may have malfunctioned.
During the initial response, officers reported that while speaking with employees, a facility manager instructed employees to discontinue communication with law enforcement.
Then on March 18, 2026, at approximately 1:18 p.m., the Rock County Communications Center received two separate 911 calls reporting another equipment-related explosion at the same location. Emergency responders again arrived on scene.
Two employees were flown to medical facilities with life-threatening injuries, and a third employee was transported by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers reported minimal cooperation from facility management during the investigation during this incident as well.
The matter remains an open and ongoing investigation with OSHA.