Officials have yet to determine the cause of a late-night fire at Fieldale Farms’ poultry processing plant as of Monday, May 26, according to Cornelia Fire Chief Billy Jenkins.
Jenkins confirmed there were no injuries in the blaze, and the extent of the damage is not yet known.
Georgia’s State Fire Marshal’s Office and local officials continue to investigate the cause of the fire that broke out late Sunday night, May 25.
“So far, we have not determined the cause,” said Jenkins, who added that a timeline for determining the cause also isn’t yet known.
A portion of the plant caught fire around 10:38 p.m. and prompted a large emergency response.
Firefighters from multiple departments, including Cornelia, Demorest, Baldwin, Habersham County and Lee Arrendale State Prison responded to the scene. Georgia Power also sent crews before the blaze was extinguished around 2:15 a.m. Monday morning.
Fieldale has so far been unreachable for comment regarding resumption of its operations.
Cornelia City Manager Dee Anderson, who was on scene during the blaze, also couldn’t be reached for comment regarding potential impact on the city.
Eyewitness accounts
Eyewitnesses and people nearby described the fire as loud and intense.
Kayla Campbell, who saw the blaze from a nearby McDonald’s, said it “looked monstrous,” and her husband was among the first to report it.
Another resident, Skylar Miller, claimed to hear a “big boom,” suggesting a possible explosion.
On Facebook, Ashley O’Kelly also said she’d heard a commotion before the fire. “I heard a loud boom and jumped, but I thought it was a firework I was hearing,” she said.
Fire crews remained at the scene into the early morning hours, using ladder trucks and hoses to suppress the fire. Roads leading to the plant were closed during the response.
