SHORT TAKES : Fire Destroys ‘Rocky’ Meat Plant

A former meat packing plant used for a scene in the first “Rocky” movie was destroyed by fire early today.

Firefighters battled the flames, fed by a large amount of paper and boxes stored inside, for five hours in freezing temperatures before bringing the blaze under control, Fire Commissioner Roger Ulshafer said.

The two-story building in the city’s Kensington section was occupied by the Cosmopolitan Advertising Co. and a Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

At the time of the “Rocky” filming, it was owned by Cross Brothers Meat Packing Co.

The scene in the 1976 movie showed character Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone, using a side of beef as a punching bag as he trained for his big fight against champion Apollo Creed.