DECATUR - Two veteran Archer Daniels Midland Co. employees died late Sunday of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning and 16 other employees were sickened by the gas following a fire in an air handling unit at ADM's Decatur corn processing plant.

The deceased were identified Monday by Macon County Coroner Michael E. Day as Charles M. Newgard, 55, a corn plant laboratory technician supervisor, and Jeffrey S. Miller, 46, a corn plant laboratory technician, both of Decatur. Newgard had been with ADM for 33 years and Miller for 17 years.

Day said Miller died at 11:10 p.m. Sunday at Decatur Memorial Hospital and Newgard died at 11:43 p.m. at St. Mary's Hospital.

Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration personnel were at ADM on Monday for an initial evaluation, ADM Vice President Randy Kampfe of the Corn Processing Group said during a news conference at the firm's James R. Randall Research Center late Monday afternoon. The company is cooperating fully, he said.

Nick Walters, director of OSHA's Peoria area office, said the agency has six months to complete such an investigation but likely could finish prior to that time.

Of the 16 additional employees taken to local hospitals, 15 were treated and released and one continued to receive medical attention, Kampfe said.

Names of the employees were not released.

"ADM representatives have reached out to all the families affected by the tragedy, offering help and support during this difficult time," Kampfe said. "Plant operations have been deemed safe and the plant remains open. We are conducting a thorough review of this incident to determine its cause.

"I'd like to extend a special thanks to the men and women of the Decatur Fire and Police departments and Decatur Ambulance Service for their quick response and assistance. We will continue to update the community on the status of our colleagues."

Monday morning, David Weintraub, ADM director of external communications, released a statement that the fire department and ambulance service were called to the corn processing plant around 9:30 p.m. Sunday. That initial statement said 11 ADM employees and eight firefighters were taken to Decatur Memorial Hospital or St. Mary's Hospital.

Decatur Fire Chief Matt Sekosky said his department was called at 10:04 p.m. Sunday to respond to the ADM east plant. He said the call was treated as a hazardous materials incident.

"We didn't have anyone overcome," Sekosky said. "Our crews wore full protective gear. Eight firefighters were decontaminated on site as a precaution and all were taken to hospitals for checkups."

Day said autopsies on the two deceased employees were performed Monday at Memorial Medical Center, Springfield. He said the cause of death still was officially classified as undetermined pending completion of laboratory toxicology tests.

Neither man suffered significant injury or trauma, Day said.

"There were some symptomatic indicators noted in the internal and external examinations that are often seen in cases of significant carbon monoxide inhalation," Day said.

Decatur Memorial spokeswoman Terrie Potter said, "Decatur Memorial received information from the scene indicating probable carbon monoxide exposure. We were able to isolate the first patients to arrive at DMH and we confirmed that diagnosis with Rapid Onsite Lab testing."

St. Mary's Hospital Director of Community Relations Kelly Hazenfield said one Decatur firefighter was run through the hospital's in-house decontamination unit. She said the hospital's emergency room was closed off and isolated between 12:05 and 12:30 a.m. Monday as a precaution.

"They did that because initially they did not know what chemical they were dealing with," Hazenfield said.

Volunteer firefighters from six Macon County departments stood by at St. Mary's with a decontamination trailer but its use was not required. Departments represented were South Wheatland, Mount Zion, Hickory Point, Harristown, Long Creek and Warrensburg.

Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram@herald-review.com or 421-7973.