Lightning Causes Fire At JBS-Swift - KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CD-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings

By Connie Weight  cweight@nebraska.tv  Twitter @ntvconnieweight                                            
 

A lightning strike sparked a fire Thursday night at JBS Swift in Grand Island. Grand Island residents reported seeing the blaze around 7:30 p.m.

Officials at JBS Swift say lightning hit a tarp over the plant's bio-gas capture system, setting a balloon of methane on fire.

The fire is now under control, no injuries were reported, and production was not halted at any point during the fire.

There was, however, a back up of trucks waiting to go into the plant with no traffic allowed in or out until the fire department was off scene.

Officials say there is no bio-hazard threat to the community, and that the plant will continue to operate as normal.