JAMESTOWN, N.D. - Fire broke out Monday at the Cavendish Farms potato plant east of Jamestown. An emergency official said no one was hurt but about 10 homes north of the plant were evacuated briefly as a precaution.

Jamestown Fire Chief Jim Reuther said the cause of the blaze was not immediately known. It was reported about 1:30 p.m., when black smoke was seen coming out of the huge plant.

Reuther said the fire was under control about five hours later, but crews would watch it all night.

"We're getting flare-ups," Reuther said. "It's in the attic area or the crawl space."

Jerry Bergquist, the Stutsman County emergency manager, said no one was hurt.

He said the homes were evacuated because officials worried that anhydrous ammonia, a chemical used for refrigeration at the plant, might leak. Officials said the chemical was under control.

Bergquist said residents were allowed to return to their homes around 5:40 p.m.

Cavendish Farms, a food-processing company based in New Brunswick, Canada, contracts with potato farmers in the region. The plant has about 250 workers.

Company spokesman Greg Allen said more than 100 employees were in the plant at the time of the fire, but all got out safely.

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