Category Archives: Food Processing

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Watertown, WI – Fire sprinklers put out fire at chocolate manufacturer before fire department arrived

Clasen Quality Chocolate, 420 E. Horseshoe Road, started off the new year in a unique way Wednesday.

At 1:22 p.m., the Watertown Fire Department responded to a call for a structure fire at the factory. According to Watertown Fire Chief Kraig Biefeld, the blaze started when a box full of products caught on fire, but the fire was limited to just the box. Sprinklers put it out before units arrived.

“The sprinkler system did its job. That’s why we advocate the use of sprinklers in buildings,” Biefeld said.

The fire department sent the on-duty crew and Biefeld, who went to the call, said with the fire out, the crew went to make sure the fire was out and to ventilate the building.

Mutual aid was initially called, but was quickly called off, according to Biefeld.

Clasen Quality Chocolate produces a variety of chocolate coatings of different colors, flavors and sizes as well as 20 different varieties of chocolate and numerous fillings and spreads.

According to the company website, Clasen Quality Chocolate, “has transitioned from a small, regional compound coating manufacturer to a major supplier of both standard and customized formulations and value-added, confectionery ingredients across North America” and has facilities in Watertown, Middleton with corporate offices and the company innovation center in Madison.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

South Beloit, IL – Sprinkler system quickly contains commercial fryer fire

A commercial fryer caught fire Tuesday at Axium Foods and caused about $70,000 in damages.

The fire was reported about 8:15 p.m.

Firefighters arrived at the plant, 239 Oak Grove Ave., to find 20 to 30 employees outside and heavy smoke inside the plant.

“The (overhead) sprinkler system activated pretty quickly and kept the fire contained,” South Belolit Fire Chief Michael Davenport said. “We had the fire under control in about 15 minutes and the fire completely out in 20 minutes.”

Axium Foods, at times a three-shift operation, is a corn-based snack food manufacturer making chips and other products.

“The fire started in the fry unit of the oven,” Davenport said.

The cause of the fire, however, remains under investigation. Damage was estimated at $50,000 to the machinery and $20,000 to product lost. Rockton Fire Department assisted.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Beloit, WI – Cooker fire at Kettle Foods contained by sprinkler system

A cooker fire was reported early this morning at Kettle Foods in the 3100 block of Kettle Way, and no injuries were reported, according to the Beloit Fire Department.

The fire was reported shortly after 3 a.m. and all employees were evacuated prior to the department arriving on scene. Crews observed light smoking from the smoke stacks, and the fire was contained to the cooking area. A sprinkler system was activated and helped contain the small blaze.

A damage estimate wasn’t available as of press time, but the department said it’s expected to “be a significant dollar amount due to the piece of equipment” that caught fire, according to a department Facebook post.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Employees returned to work at around 6 a.m.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Burlington, IA – Oven fire in food processing facility controlled by sprinkler system

The Burlington Fire Department responded to an oven fire at Shearer’s Foods at 11:38 p.m. Thursday.

Fire Marshal Mark Crooks said firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the building and found cracker dough burning on a conveyor inside one of the large commercial ovens.

According to a press release, the fire was caused by “a malfunction of the conveyor system.”

A sprinkler had already activated above the oven, and firefighters and employees worked together to put out the rest of the fire.

Employees were evacuated during the fire, and no one was injured. The building was not damaged.

Firefighters stayed on scene until a little after 2 a.m.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Hope Hull, AL – Manufacturing plant fire held in check by sprinkler system until crews arrive; No injuries reported

Montgomery Fire/Rescue responded to a fire at the Genpak LLC in Hope Hull Wednesday.

According to Captain J.D. Cupps, crews arrived at the building on Bill Joseph Parkway and entered, reporting visible smoke and a working fire. The sprinkler system held the blaze in check until crews were able to fully extinguish is with hand lines.

Cupps said the fire involved five big rolls of spun plastic stacked 30 feet tall. All occupants in the building were out when crews arrived and there have been no reported injuries.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Hershey, PA – Minor fire at Hershey Kiss factory extinguished by sprinkler system

A small fire broke out at the Pennsylvania chocolate factory that manufactures more than 70 million Hershey’s Kisses a day.  Firefighters were called to the Hershey Co.’s plant in Hershey, Pennsylvania, for a minor fire Friday morning.  A company spokesman said a short-circuit in a storage area heater activated a sprinkler system, which immediately put out the fire.  He said workers were evacuated from a section of the plant out of caution.  He said everyone is fine and no employees were ever at risk.  According to the company’s website, the plant also makes Hershey’s milk chocolate bars and Hershey’s syrup.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Minot, ND – Equipment fire at food processing company suppressed by sprinkler system

The Minot Fire Department responded to AGT Food <Friday> morning and upon arrival they could see smoke coming from the exhaust duct on the roof.  It was discovered that a piece of food processing equipment had product burning inside of it.  An automatic sprinkler system extinguished most of the fire but some of it expanded to the exhaust ductwork where residual product was burning.  After the fire department cleared the area, there was concerns that burning product transferred into a holding bin.  With the use of a thermal imaging camera, they discovered there was burning product in the bin and AGT employees emptied it.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Suffolk, VA – Early morning fire at peanut processing facility extinguished with help from sprinkler system

Birdsong Peanuts processing plant on Factory Street in Suffolk caught fire Monday morning.  According to a news release from the Suffolk Fire Department, crews were called to the 300 block of Factory Street around 5:10 a.m. after receiving reports of a fire at Birdsong Peanuts. When crews arrived there were no visible signs of smoke or fire from the outside, but after a physical inspection of the property, firefighters found heavy smoke and fire on the 7th floor of the facility.  Crews used ladder trucks and the help of a sprinkler system to extinguish the fire.  Seven employees were evacuated from the building and no one was injured.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Norwalk, OH – Sprinkler system keeps large bakery fire controlled while fire crews arrive

A fire at New Horizons bakery caused about $55,000-worth of damage on the business.

The Norwalk Fire Department received a call reporting the bakery’s “large fire” at 8:01 a.m. Sunday. Firefighters saw “moderate smoke” coming from the building and its roof once they arrived and found the fire had started in the muffin line machine, a multi-million dollar machine, according to fire chief John Soisson.

According to firefighters’ estimations, New Horizons lost about $25,000 in property damages and another $30,000 in destroyed contents. 

“It looked like some of the muffins had caught fire then … one of the machines caught fire that makes their buns and muffins and then it extended into their exhaust system,” Soisson said. “It was an exhaust fire. Whenever you’re baking, you’re baking at high temperatures. That’s just a risk that comes with their business, I guess.” 

The report said the fire also extended outside the upper ventilation trunk and ignited the roof area assembly as well.

Firefighters used a ladder truck to put out the blaze and then checked to make sure there were no hot spots remaining.

It took the 16 firefighters in their five trucks about two hours to extinguish the fire. It could have been worse, though, the chief said, adding the business’ precautionary measures are what saved it. 

“New Horizons does a good job with their production and the sprinkler system worked as it was designed,” Soisson said. “Only four sprinkler heads came on and controlled the fire until we got there and were able to finish extinguishing the fire.

“My big point for this is that fire codes are important. New Horizons is a company that’s very good to work with and they have very good fire suppression system within there and that was able to keep the fire relatively small and contained until we got there and were able to get it extinguished. That’s why sprinklers in building are so important within the city.”

Soisson said he hopes other businesses will learn from the experience too.

“Nobody likes fire codes because it costs money to do that stuff, but this is the benefit,” he said. “Their system worked really well and damage was pretty minor because of that.”

New Horizons was able to keep production going and was fully operational later on Sunday. 

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Leamington, ON, Canada – Fire at food processing facility limited by sprinkler system

The Leamington Fire Department responded to a call at Top Line Farms, on the 500 block of Essex Road 18 around 6 p.m. Saturday.  Flames were pouring through a large portion of an outside wall when fire crews arrived.  Fire officials say the blaze appears to have been caused by an improperly discarded cigarette.  They have put an initial damage estimate of $2.3 million on the fire, but say damage to product inside the facility is still being assessed.  The Leamington Fire Department credits the facilities sprinkler system with helping to contain the fire.  Topline Farms markets a variety of hothouse specialty produce.