SEWARD COUNTY, KS —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire late Wednesday at National Beef in Liberal.
According to Liberal Fire Chief Kelly Kirk, crews responded just before 10p.m. Wednesday to the fire.
First responders and fire units arrived to find a well-advanced fire involving four box trailers and two container trailers. Also involved was the multi-story boxed beef storage and load out building. Plant representatives confirmed to responders that all employees were safely exited and accounted for.
Some of the trailers contained product to be shipped and other trailers involved were just loaded with pallets. It took crews approximately three hours to bring the fire under control, according to Kirk. There were no injuries to employees or firefighters.
The area of fire origin has been determined with reasonable certainty, according to Liberal Police. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. The plant has a daily fed beef harvest capacity of 6,000 head.
National Beef Packing Company, one of four major U.S. beef processors, said it suspended production at its Liberal, Kansas, plant on Thursday after a fire.
Officials have not released a damage estimate.
