By Dave Ryan

LINKWOOD – A fire at Valley Proteins on Sunday caused an estimated $3.5 million in damage to the rendering plant.

At 7:25 p.m., primary responder Linkwood-Salem Volunteer Fire Company was alerted to a structure fire in the building at 5420 Linkwood Road. Cambridge Rescue-Fire Company assisted in the two-alarm call.

RFC brought out the new truck Tower 1-1, just placed into service on July 28, and used its duel master streams on the bucket to douse the fire from above the roof of the building.

Employees had discovered the fire, which originated in the electrical service area of product processing room of the 200’x 250' commercial building. A report from the Office of the State Fire Marshal said a smoke alarm was not present, while fire alarm/sprinkler status was undetermined as of Aug. 7.

Valley Proteins LLC was acquired in December of 2021 by Darling Ingredients. Information from the company’s website says, “Darling Ingredients serves the agri-food industry by collecting and repurposing animal-based by-products and other natural materials that would otherwise be discarded.”

The website says the Darling Ingredients is “the world’s leading company turning food waste into sustainable products and producer of renewable energy.”

In September of 2022, the state announced a settlement with Valley Proteins, in which the company was fined $540,000 for releasing material into the Transquaking River.

“Valley Proteins repeatedly discharged harmful pollutants - including nitrogen, phosphorus and fecal coliform - into a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay,” then-Attorney General Frosh said. “These violations of our environmental laws threatened fragile ecosystems and our treasured Chesapeake Bay.”

There were no arrests or injuries as a result of the fire. It took 50 firefighters an hour and a half to control the blaze, whose preliminary cause is under investigation.