Posted: 03.21.2011

A Milwaukee-area meatpacking plant that was
hit hard by a 2009 fire is donating $50,000 to local firefighters
for their ``heroic efforts'' in fighting the blaze.
The donation is from the Patrick Cudahy plant and
its parent company, Smithfield Foods Inc.

The companies said Friday the money will go to the Cudahy Fire
Department, which will use the funds to help pay for a mobile
command post.

The fire began when two brothers celebrating the Fourth of July
fired a military flare that landed on the plant's roof. The
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says insurance claims for the blaze were
settled for $208 million. No one was hurt.

The brothers were each sentenced to 90 days, to be served for 30
days in July for three years to keep them behind bars for those
Independence Day celebrations.

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