Fire damages South Carolina chicken plant

WARD, S.C. — A fire at a South Carolina processing plant for chicken byproduct, which is used as an ingredient for pet food, has been extinguished, authorities said, Friday.

The fire started, Thursday, at Valley Proteins Inc. in Saluda County, news outlets reported. No one was injured.

Darling Ingredients, which acquired Valley Proteins in May, said plans are now underway to assess the damage and determine their next steps, WLTX-TV reported.

“We deeply regret that this incident has occurred,” the company said in a statement. “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our employees, contractors, and the community.”

The cause of the fire under investigation.