A fire ignited inside of the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in Monmouth, IL Thursday night, according to local news organizations and the fire department.
Crews were dispatched 6:42 p.m. after receiving word that flames and smoke were inside the facility, Monmouth Fire Department posted on its Facebook page.
Fire Chief Casey Rexroat told the Galesburg Register-Mail that the blaze occurred in a production area of the plant, but damages were minimal.
The fire was brought under control in about three hours without injuries, according to Monmouth Fire. Several other area fire departments also responded to the incident.
An investigation into the fire has been opened by the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
Smithfield temporarily idled the Monmouth plant in April 2020 after some of the facility’s 1,700 workers tested positive for COVID-19. The company said the plant produces 3% of the country’s fresh pork supply and also manufactures bacon.
