Columbia Packing Co., a Dallas meat-packing plant cited for allegedly draining pig blood into a nearby creek, said that the situation was an accident caused by a clog in the sewer line, reports Fox News. Officials also accused the city of failing to notify the company about the leak. Photographs surfaced last week of what appeared to be pig blood flowing in Cedar Creek, which feeds into the Trinity River.

"We discovered that a clog in the sewer line had caused the flow to backup into an overflow vent pipe in the creek drainage area," the company said. "We were extremely disappointed that city was aware of the backup for 41 days before notifying us of the problem." The plant went on to call the incident an "accident" that its owners and employees "deeply regret."

Fox affiliate KDFW reported that a criminal investigation is underway at the 90-year-old company. Investigators from state and federal agencies determined that an unauthorized, underground pipe was draining pig blood into the creek from the back of the slaughterhouse, according to a search warrant obtained by the station.

Source: Fox News