WARD, South Carolina (AP) — A fire at a plant in South Carolina that processes chicken by-products used in pet food has been extinguished, officials said Friday.
The fire reportedly started at Valley Protein Company in Saluda County on Thursday. No one was injured.
Darling Ingredients, which acquired Valley Proteins in May, said plans were underway to assess the damage and determine next steps. report.
“We deeply regret that such an incident occurred,” the company said in a statement. “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our employees, contractors and the community.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Officials said the fire, which was reported around 2 p.m. Thursday, was initially contained in the cooking unit but moved to multiple parts of the facility, creating a potentially hazardous environment. The fire was under control by 5:45 p.m. but continued to burn late into the night.
The company confirmed the fire was put out before noon Friday.
Josh Morton of Saluda County Emergency Management told WLTX-TV the damage was substantial. The company said it aims to mitigate the impact of the fire on its supply chain.
“We expect to be able to process raw materials at Darling Ingredients’ other facilities and are working with our customers and suppliers to minimize service disruptions,” the company said.
