UNITED STATES-MEAT PLANT FIRE.
Police evacuated St. Charles, Minn. and blocked roads to incoming traffic on Friday as a fire at North Star Foods threatened to reach anhydrous ammonia tanks located in the plant.
North Star Foods, which processes chicken, turkey, beef, pork and other food products, according to its Web site, employs 150 workers in this town of 3,500.
Local media reports quoted a human resources employee at the plant as saying all workers escaped the blaze unharmed. North Star Foods plant manager Mark Eads was quoted as saying the fire started late Friday morning above one of the ovens where chickens are cooked.
Police reported no serious injuries. The town was evacuated as a precaution against the danger of fire would reach the ammonia tanks and release dangerous fumes.
Residents were allowed to return to their homes on Saturday morning. Media reports said about 75 percent of the plant was damaged.
(Update adds Saturday return of residents and makes clear the danger of the fire reaching the amonia was the release of chemical fumes.)
