3 injured in fire that destroyed Nebraska fertilizer plant

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — Crews have contained a large fire at a Nebraska fertilizer plant that injured three people and destroyed the plant.

The fire was reported about 11:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cooperative Producers Inc. dry fertilizer plant in Hastings and was contained just before 4 a.m. Friday.

The blaze forced authorities to close U.S. Highway 6 for several hours. A release from the Adams County Emergency Management office says railroad tracks just north of the plant also were closed for a time but have since reopened.

The Hastings Tribune reports that three semitrailer drivers who had been sleeping in their vehicles parked at the plant were injured. They were treated and released from a local hospital.

The CPI plant opened last year with plans for storage capacity of 42,000 tons of product.

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Information from: Hastings Tribune, http://www.hastingstribune.com