Fire leads Tyson to suspend operations for the week

Published 10:29 am Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Tyson Foods Inc.’s Vicksburg plant, which was damaged by fire Friday night, will remained closed the rest of the week, a company spokesman said.

Spokesman Worth Sparkman said company officials decided Monday to stop plant operations for the week, adding employees will be paid for the period.

Assistant Bovina fire chief Tim Bordelon said the cause of the Friday fire was isolated to a valve on an incoming liquified petroleum gas line to the boiler room, but did not know the problem with the valve. No one was injured in the fire.

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Sparkman did not know if the plant would remain closed after this week. He said company officials were assessing the damage at the plant, “And it will all depend on how the week goes.”

Dispatchers at Vicksburg-Warren 911 received a call about 6:30 p.m. Friday about an explosion and fire at the plant. A total of 35 volunteer and city firefighters responded to the blaze, which began in the plant’s boiler room.

Plant employees were evacuated and lined Interplex Circle in small groups as they watched the firefighters.

Smoke and fire was visible on the building’s roof as firefighters worked to control and contain the fire, with volunteer firefighters attacking from the blaze from the ground, and Vicksburg using its aerial truck and attack flames on the roof.

Bordelon, who was the incident commander at the fire, said firefighters managed to keep the fire contained in the boiler room and the outside roof of a storage area.

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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