Damage in Nebraska Food Plant Fire Estimated at $100K

A fire official has estimated that a fire at Lincoln, Neb., food plant has caused nearly $100,000 in damage.

Officials say no one was injured in the fire, which started around 1 p.m. Saturday at the Smithfield Foods plant. Battalion Chief Leo Benes told the Lincoln Journal Star that the blaze occurred in a grease building between an industrial oven and the ceiling. Benes says it took firefighters around 45 minutes to control the fire.

Evacuated workers were allowed back in the plant after nearly two hours.

Fire inspector Ken Hilger says the damage estimate includes damaged food and equipment and lost employee production.