Fire-damaged Kansas Tyson plant to resume operations soon

HOLCOMB, Kan. (AP) — A fire-damaged Tyson meat processing plant in Kansas is expected to resume operations in December.

Tyson announced Monday in a news release that reconstruction of the Holcomb plant is nearing completion. The company says it will begin processing beef again in the first week of December and be fully operational by the first week of January.

The fire started in August in an area of the plant near where animals are killed, causing part of the roof to collapse. Reconstruction included replacing support beams and the roof, as well as installing more than 50,000 feet (15240 meters) of new wiring.

The plant employees about 1,200 people. The company says it continued to pay full-time workers during the shutdown.

Holcomb is located less than 10 miles (about 16 kilometers) west of Garden City.