A fire at a Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Storm Lake, Iowa, prompted the evacuation of the facility on January 3.
The fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. in the byproduct rendering area of the facility, and upon arrival the Storm Lake Fire Department discovered a fire burning above one of the cookers. According to a press release from SLFD, the cause of the fire was determined to be a mechanical failure in the cooker causing overheating and igniting its contents.
The fire also spread through exhaust vents and duct work into an adjoining hallway.
The flames were extinguished, and firefighters inspected the roof and other parts of the building where the duct work was located to assure that no other areas were damaged. It took about 30 minutes to put out the fires, but firefighters remained on the scene for another 90 minutes to monitor flare-ups and ventilate the facility.
While production was halted at the facility, production resumed the next morning.
“We appreciate the quick response of local firefighters, who quickly put the fire out, and are thankful no one was hurt,” Tyson Foods said in a statement.
SLFD estimated that the damage caused by the fire will be in excess of $6,000.
The fire department was assisted at the scene by the Storm Lake Police Department, Buena Vista County EMS and Tyson staff.
Earlier fire in Storm Lake
This is the second time in three years a processing facility in Storm Lake that is affiliated with Tyson Foods suffered fire damage.
In March 2014, a Hillshire Brands turkey plant in Storm Lake, suffered more than $30 million in fire damages. The facility had to be largely rebuilt, and Tyson Foods celebrated its return to production in December 2014.
Tyson Foods acquired Hillshire Brands during the rebuilding process.
