Tragic Blaze Levels Illinois Meat Processing Hub on the Eve of Deer Season
In a turn of fate that could only be called cruel irony, Web’s Meat Processing in West Frankfort, Illinois, was reduced to smoldering ruins just one day before the opening of Illinois’s deer hunting season.
For the locals, this family-owned business wasn’t just a place to process meat; it was a piece of the community’s lifeblood.
The fire erupted early Monday, September 30th, with flames tearing through the building before dawn.
West Frankfort’s Fire Chief Derek Saliez noted the gravity of the scene, saying, “We’ve got the city’s backhoe in getting us access to some of the collapsed hotspots and going through meticulous investigation.”
With the cause still a mystery, authorities called in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to aid in the investigation, recognizing the significance of the establishment to hunters far and wide.
For nearby residents like Kristine Mitchell, the loss feels deeply personal. “We used to get like the salami and stuff,” she recalled fondly. “He would always call me up and say, well, I got this, and you know, I’ve got Slim Jims here for you.”
Web’s wasn’t just a business to Mitchell; it was tradition, a seasonal rhythm rooted in deer season’s annual pulse.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. “That’s gonna be a pretty big loss for West Frankfort because that’s a big money-making place,” she added, acknowledging the blow to the local economy as well.
As smoke continued to curl from the ashes, the haunting question lingered: What’s next for a community that relied on Web’s?
Known for bringing in hunters from across state lines, the processing plant had become a seasonal haven. Without it, out-of-state hunters are left in a lurch, pondering where they’ll now turn to process their catch.
For Mitchell and others, Web’s remains a symbol of more than meat; it’s a slice of small-town life, a place where memories are cut as fresh as the meat once was.
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