Twenty people were injured on Monday after a chemical spill at a New Mexico cheese factory released toxic gas, according to officials.

The Curry County Sheriff's Office confirmed the incident to Fox News Digital. Authorities were alerted to the incident, which took place at the Southwest Cheese factory in Clovis, at around 9:15 a.m. on Monday.

When emergency responders arrived, they discovered that a chemical spill had released toxic gas in one part of the factory.

"It was learned that 8.67 gallons of acid spilled and was mixed with .61 gallons of chlorine due to an equipment malfunction," the Curry County Sheriff's Office explained in a press release. "The chemical mixture produced toxic gas that spread in one area of the facility."

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Sheriff Michael Brockett told Fox News Digital that two of the injured workers were in critical condition. In total, 14 employees were taken to two local hospitals. 

Authorities did not release additional details about the severity of the injuries, but some of the ailing workers were moved in private vehicles.

"The Clovis Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team was activated and responded to the scene," the press release noted. "New Mexico State Police is coordinating with Southwest Cheese in cleaning the hazardous chemicals."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Southwest Cheese said that a mechanical failure caused a "chemical overflow," and employees reported "a strong smell" emanating from one of the factory's rooms.

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"The health and safety of our employees is our top priority," the company said. "Our onsite team reacted quickly, following our incident response action plan, closing off the affected area."

"Our key focus is supporting our impacted employees at this time."

According to Southwest Cheese's website, the company specializes in manufacturing hard cheeses and whey products. Its whey products include whey concentrates, which are used in dairy products like ice cream, and whey isolates, which are used in protein bars.

"Using only the freshest milk supplied by our local dairy farmers, Southwest Cheese produces premium cheeses and high quality whey protein powders for our global customers," its website reads. "Each delivery of milk is thoroughly tested for antibiotics and other contaminants. We reject all milk that does not meet our high-quality standards."

Authorities are investigating the incident. No additional details are known at this time.

A prankster was recently arrested and charged after allegedly spraying bug killer on food in an Arizona Walmart, police say.

Charles Smith, 27, was charged with felony-level poisoning and misdemeanor-level criminal damage, in addition to misdemeanor charges of endangerment and theft. The Mesa Police Department confirmed the arrest in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The incident began on Dec. 19 at around 8:30 p.m., police said, when the suspect entered a Mesa Walmart "intending to film pranks for social media." He then grabbed a can of bug killer "without paying for it," according to the police's statement.

According to the authorities, Smith aimed the spray at both produce and prepared food items, such as rotisserie chickens.

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"He then sprayed the pesticide on various produce items, including vegetables, fruit, and rotisserie chickens that were available for purchase," the Mesa Police Department's statement said. "Smith filmed his face, the pesticide can, and the act of spraying. He later posted the video online."

Smith later voluntarily turned himself in and admitted to the crimes.

"Through investigative means, and with assistance from the Tempe Police Department, detectives were able to identify Smith as the suspect," the statement added. "Mesa Police contacted Smith and he turned himself in voluntarily. During the interview, Smith admitted to the theft and spraying of the pesticide."

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"Thanks to the tireless work of our officers and detectives, an arrest occurred less than 24 hours after police were notified of the incident," the police department continued. "We also extend our gratitude to the Tempe Police Department for their valuable contributions and collaboration in quickly solving this case."

Authorities added that the incident exemplifies "the potential dangers of reckless actions disguised as social media pranks."

On Sunday, Walmart told Fox News Digital that customer safety "is always a top priority," and confirmed that all tainted products were removed from shelves.

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"We have removed all directly impacted product and have cleaned and sanitized the affected area of the store," the company continued. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our customers as we work to resolve this issue. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement during their investigation."