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Family Dollar shuttered an Arkansas distribution facility after federal health officials discovered a rodent infestation that potentially contaminated several products.
The company began permanently closing the West Memphis facility, which employed more than 300 workers, on Wednesday, Travis McNail, vice president of human resources at Dollar Tree, said in a letter to West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon. Dollar Tree owns and operates Family Dollar locations.
Dollar Tree did not respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
FAMILY DOLLAR RECALLS SEVERAL PRODUCTS AFTER RODENT INFESTATION DETECTED AT DISTRIBUTION FACILITY
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLTR | DOLLAR TREE INC. | 135.57 | +1.77 | +1.32% |
Employment separations are expected to begin in July, McNail added.
The vast majority of terminations, about 230, will occur on July 17. Another 90 employees will be let go by October “as a result of the closure,” the letter continued.
Rats found at Family Dollar (Robert Bradford / Fox News)
During an inspection of the facility in January, the FDA recovered more than 1,100 dead rodents from the facility.
The FDA also said the company’s internal records “indicated the collection of more than 2,300 rodents between Mar. 29 and Sep. 17, 2021, demonstrating a history of infestation.”
Robert Bradford, a former employee of the West Memphis warehouse, previously told FOX Business that he has seen more than 100 rats in the facility since he started working there in the spring of 2021.
Rats found at Family Dollar (Robert Bradford / Fox News)
Following the FDA’s inspection, the company recalled several products including drugs, medical devices, cosmetics and dietary supplements as well as human and pet food products, that were stored in the West Memphis facility and shipped to 404 of its stores across Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Rodent contamination, according to the FDA, “may cause Salmonella and infectious diseases, which may pose the greatest risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised people.”
McClendon said in a statement to FOX Business that he was concerned for the workers after hearing of the closure.
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“My leadership team has been busy working with local and state partners to ensure that the affected displaced workers have every resource available to find new employment to get their lives back on track,” McClendon said.
The mayor expressed confidence in being able to find a new tenant for the facility, although the “number one priority is to help those families impacted by this sudden announcement,” he added.
