Greeley Fire Still Smoldering
Damage From Blaze Estimated At $5 Million
POSTED: 6:39 a.m. MST January 14, 2002
UPDATED: 8:16 a.m. MST January 14, 2002
DENVER -- A three-alarm fire that destroyed a lambskin processing plant Sunday in Greeley is still smoldering as of Monday morning.
The fire caused an estimated $5 million in damage -- $2 million in wool and sheepskin, $1 million in processing equipment, and the $2 million building, 7NEWS reported.
Firefighters said that it is the worst fire in Greeley history in terms of damage.
The Montfort Nugget Cowhide Plant, located at 823 N. 6th Avenue, cleans and cuts up to 6,000 lambskins a day for businesses that make a variety of products, including seat covers, paint rollers and bomber jackets.
It also processed lamb hides from a ConAgra slaughterhouse next door. The building held 250,000 pounds of wool and 125,000 lambskins.
"It's gone. It's totally gone," said Mike Wheeler, owner of
Nugget International, which operates the plant. "We'll have to completely rebuild."
Firefighters had a tough time on Sunday extinguishing the fire because the roof had collapsed, trapping the heat and the hot spots inside the building.
Crews will be bringing in cranes and bulldozers to the site Monday afternoon to dig out the side walls and put out the fire, 7NEWS reported.
Plant employees were showing up to work Monday, although there is little left to do but clean up. Wheeler told 7NEWS that he did not want to lay off any of his 36 employees as a result of the fire.
No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The fire caused an estimated $5 million in damage -- $2 million in wool and sheepskin, $1 million in processing equipment, and the $2 million building, 7NEWS reported.
Firefighters said that it is the worst fire in Greeley history in terms of damage.
The Montfort Nugget Cowhide Plant, located at 823 N. 6th Avenue, cleans and cuts up to 6,000 lambskins a day for businesses that make a variety of products, including seat covers, paint rollers and bomber jackets.
It also processed lamb hides from a ConAgra slaughterhouse next door. The building held 250,000 pounds of wool and 125,000 lambskins.
"It's gone. It's totally gone," said Mike Wheeler, owner of
Nugget International, which operates the plant. "We'll have to completely rebuild."
Firefighters had a tough time on Sunday extinguishing the fire because the roof had collapsed, trapping the heat and the hot spots inside the building.
Crews will be bringing in cranes and bulldozers to the site Monday afternoon to dig out the side walls and put out the fire, 7NEWS reported.
Plant employees were showing up to work Monday, although there is little left to do but clean up. Wheeler told 7NEWS that he did not want to lay off any of his 36 employees as a result of the fire.
No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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- January 13, 2002: Three-Alarm Fire Destroys Greeley Building
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