Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 8/19/11

A Pilgrim’s Pride chicken processing plant in Union County, N.C., remained closed at the end of the week, following an early-morning ammonia leak on Monday.

The facility is definitely closed through the weekend, company spokesman Gary Rhodes told Meatingplace on Friday. “We’re hopeful we can re-start early next week,” he said.

An explosion had caused the leak that prompted the evacuations of about 100 people from the plant along with those in nearby businesses and residences in a 1.5-mile radius around the facility.

The plant was under the control of the fire department through Thursday, Rhodes said, as hazardous materials teams tested the air quality for safety.

A statement released by the local fire department early on Friday indicated that the air quality in the area around the plant that had been evacuated had been found to be safe at all levels. The area of the plant not affected by the explosion also had been cleared.

The area in the plant around where the explosion occurred, however, was still being monitored on Friday.

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