On Tuesday, Jan. 3, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the Storm Lake Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at the Tyson Fresh Meats Plant in Storm Lake. A fire was burning above one of the cookers and appeared to have spread into the exhaust vents when firefighters arrived on scene. The blaze is believed to have originated on the east end of plant in the rendering area. The fire was extinguished, and the scene stabilized within 30 minutes of the department arriving. The cause of the blaze was determined to be a mechanical failure in a cooker, causing overheating and igniting its contents. Firefighters remained on scene for two hours to ventilate the building and watch for flare-ups. The Storm Lake Police Department, Buena Vista County EMS and Tyson staff assisted on scene. No injuries were reported, and damage to the plant is estimated to be over $6,000.