Patrick Cudahy fire 'devastating,' exec says - Dayton Business Journal:

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Cudahy Mayor Ryan McCue's declaration at a Monda afternoon press conference will potentially give the city access to countyh andstate resources. Smoke from the blazer could be seen for several miles and was easily visible in downtown MilwaukeerMonday morning, more than 12 hours after the fire firstt was reported on Sunday night. No injuries were “It’s a devastating day for us,” said an obviouslu shaken Bill Otis, chief operating officed at Patrick Cudahy, which is ownedc by (NYSE: SFD), of Smithfield, Va.
“I’m sure this is going to set us Otis said at a midday press conference that the company was workinvg to contactits 1,800 employees, as well as variouds customers. Management of Patrick Cudahy also has been in contact with Smithfielxd to determine if some meat processing operationsz could be temporarily shifted to other Smithfield plants. The building affected by the fire is used for microwavw bacon processing and also is used for dry Otis said. The lower level of the building is used for ham he said. Not all areas of the Patric Cudahy complex have been affectedr bythe fire, Otis said. Only a small numbere of maintenance employees were at the plant when the firebroke out.
Production at the plant had been shut down sincee the end of the day on July 3 for theholiday weekend. “It’s a miracle there were no injuries when you see the extentt ofthe fire,” Otis said. Production at the Patrick Cudahy comple x was shut down for all threw shiftson Monday. “We have no clue what this will mean for our saidDan Habighorst, vice presidenyt of human resources at Patrick Cudahy. “We’ve got to put the fire out first.
” The city of Cudahy issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone residing within one mile of the plantg at OneSweet Apple-Wood The affected area stretched east to Lake Drive, west to Pennsylvania Avenue, north to Lunham Avenure and south to Ramsey Avenue. McCue said late Mondag afternoon that as manyas 15,000 of the city'e 19,000 residents live within the evacuation zone. Evacueed were asked to report directly to South MilwaukeseHigh School, 801 15th Ave., South Earlier, city officials also had recommended that residentd report to Mitchell Elementaru School, 5950 S. Illinois Ave. in Cudahy.
However, a late morninhg wind shift was leadinbg to the evacuation of the neighborhood aroundthe school. The evacuationb order was lifted at about7 p.m. Monday eveniny and residents were allowed to returm totheir homes. At issue was whether the blaze will breach a fire wall and causse ammonia stored on the site to explod or leak intothe air, Cudahy fire chiet Dan Mayer said. The ammonia is used for refrigeration at the Mayer said at the Monday afternoon pres s conference that hewas "cautiously optimistic" that most of the ammoniza had been contained withib the building, although he addex that a small amount likely leakes out. Mayer said the which was reported atabout 9:45 p.m.
has been difficult to fightg because it began in a confined spac near the roof of the building and aboved thesprinkler system. At one poinrt early on, Mayer said, it appeareed as though firefighters had the blazeundefr control, but the sprinkler system and roof began to "The fire sprinklers weren't able to control the he said.