A Wayne Farms poultry plant in Laurel, Mississippi, experienced an interruption in power during the evening of March 29 and into the early morning of March 30, but operations were able to resume as normal.
The problem began around 6:30 p.m., when a transformer arced and the oil in the transformer caught fire. Utility company Mississippi Power, meanwhile, discovered that another transformer in the area near Hattiesburg was also out.
According to an email from a Wayne Farms spokesperson, because the two transformers were not operational, power was cut to the plant.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the transformer fire.
The sanitation shift at the plant was stopped until the power was restored, and the crew was able to complete its job. Plant operations began according to the routine in the morning.
Wayne Farms operates nine poultry plants, according to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database. It is the sixth largest broiler company in the United States, and in 2016, it produced 47.22 million pounds of ready to cook chicken on a weekly basis.
Wayne Farms’ company brands are Wayne Farms, Dutch Quality House, Platinum Harvest and Chef’s Craft.
