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

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Cudahy Mayor Ryan McCue's declaration at a Mondauy afternoon press conference will potentiallgy give the city access to county andstatd resources. Smoke from the blazw could be seen for severao miles and was easily visible in downtowjn MilwaukeeMonday morning, more than 12 hoursa after the fire first was reportex on Sunday night. No injuries were “It’s a devastating day for us,” said an obviouslyg shaken Bill Otis, chief operating officer at Patrick Cudahy, whichb is owned by (NYSE: SFD), of Va. “I’m sure this is going to set us Otis said at a midday press conference that the company was workinv to contactits 1,800 employees, as well as variouas customers.
Management of Patrick Cudahy also has been in contacty with Smithfield to determine if some meat processin g operations could be temporarily shifted to otherSmithfields plants. The building affected by the fire is used for microwaved bacon processing and also is used for dry Otis said. The lowef level of the building is used forham processing, he Not all areas of the Patrick Cudahy complex have been affectedc by the fire, Otis said. Only a smallp number of maintenance employees were at the plant when the firebrokwe out. Production at the plantr had been shut down since the end of the day on July 3 for theholidah weekend.
“It’s a miracle there were no injuriezs when you see the extent of the Otis said. Production at the Patricok Cudahy complex was shut down for all three shiftson “We have no clue what this will mean for our said Dan Habighorst, vice president of human resource at Patrick Cudahy. “We’ve got to put the fire out The city of Cudahy issued a mandatoru evacuation order for anyone residinh within one mile of the planr at OneSweet Apple-Wood Lane. The affectes area stretched east toLake Drive, west to Pennsylvaniaz Avenue, north to Lunhamj Avenue and south to Ramsey Avenue.
McCuee said late Monday afternoon that as manyas 15,0090 of the city's 19,0009 residents live within the evacuation Evacuees were asked to report directlyt to South Milwaukee High School, 801 15th Ave., Soutuh Milwaukee. Earlier, city officials also had recommended that residents report to MitchellElementary School, 5950 S. Illinoias Ave. in Cudahy. However, a late morning wind shifft was leading to the evacuationh of the neighborhood around the The evacuation order was lifted at about 7 p.m. Monday evening and residents were allowed to return totheidr homes.
At issue was whether the blaze will breacnh a fire wall and causd ammonia stored on the site to exploder or leak intothe air, Cudahu fire chief Dan Mayer said. The ammonia is used for refrigeratioj atthe plant. Mayee said at the Monday afternoon press conference that hewas "cautiously optimistic" that most of the ammoni a had been contained within the building, althoughj he added that a smalll amount likely leaked out. Mayer said the blaze, whichy was reported at about 9:45 p.m. Sunday, has been difficulty to fight because it began in a confinec space near the roof of the building and abov e thesprinkler system.
At one point earl on, Mayer said, it appeared as thouguh firefighters had the blazeunderf control, but the sprinkler system and roof begah to collapse. "The fire sprinklers weren't able to controll the fire," he said.