Grocery distribution plant employees return to work after early-morning fire

All employees at a grocery distribution center in Temple have returned to work after a brief fire forced them to evacuate early Tuesday morning.

Temple firefighters responded to McLane Southwest at the 2800 block of Industrial Blvd. just after 3:30 a.m.

Temple Fire Department spokesperson Thomas Pechal said the fire started when a semi-truck backed into a loading dock, and a clearance light at the top of the truck overheated and set the protective cushion around the loading dock on fire.

Pechal said employees were evacuated when the fire started.

Some of the employees were able to put the fire out with fire extinguishers before firefighters arrived, Pechal said.

No one was injured.

Damage to the building was minimal, Pechal said.