A fire at the Western Sugar Factory plant in Scottsbluff, Nebraska was tied to a crystallizer, a machine that processes molasses in the sugar-making process.
Scotts Bluff Rural Fire Chief Carissa Schank told the Star-Herald that the firefighters responded at about 11 p.m. and the fire was quickly extinguished. Mostly, insulation was burned in the fire. An initial report to dispatchers had been that smoke stacks were on fire, however, Schank said that was not the case.
A damage estimate was not available, she said. It is the second fire at the sugar factory in less than two weeks. Scotts Bluff Rural Fire Department responded on Tuesday, July 19, to a fire that Schank said had been tied to contractors doing maintenance work on a sugar dryer. A piece of plastic on a mister caught fire in that incident.
Scottsbluff Fire Department and Gering Fire Department firefighters also responded and provided mutual aid.