Category Archives: Food Processing

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Columbus, GA – Sprinklers extinguish early morning fire at Kellogg plant

Fire crews extinguished an early morning fire at the Kellogg plant on Victory Drive on Monday, according to Fire Marshal Rickey Shores.

The fire happened around 5:22 a.m., originating in a commercial oven on an assembly line and activated the fire alarm. The sprinkler system activated by the alarm put the fire out.

The oven was damaged and there was minor damage to the room; there was also no food on the line at the time of the fire and it appears to be accidental.

There were no injuries in the fire and there is no estimated cost of damage.

The Kellogg Company released a statement saying: “Kellogg’s Columbus, Ga., plant experienced an exhaust fan fire this morning, at approximately 5:45 a.m. No one was injured, as the plant was immediately evacuated and production has been halted, while we work to determine the extent of the damage,” said company spokesperson Kris Charles. 

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Enid, OK – Fire at food production facility controlled with help from sprinkler system

AdvancePierre Foods had a small fire in one of its cooking stacks early Thursday morning. The fire, at 6:03 a.m., may have been caused by grease accumulation, said Enid Fire Marshal Kenneth Helms. The fire is categorized as a cooking fire and activated two sprinkler systems.

Helms said firefighters had to pull back part of the roof membrane, and units were there for a couple of hours. No injuries were reported. The plant was shutdown for a short period.

The plant is now open and the impacted area is closed until repairs can be completed.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Fayetteville, AR – Sprinkler system activates to help control fire at Tyson Food’s facility

The Fayetteville Fire Department responded to a fire inside the building at Tyson Food’s Inc. on S School Avenue.  The fire happened at 3 p.m. inside the Mexican Original plant.  Dispatchers and Firefighters said the sprinkler system was activated.  Firefighters were on scene to help get the smoke out of the building.  The building was briefly evacuated, according to a Tyson spokesperson.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Simpsonville, KY – Fire at Purnell Sausage factory contained by sprinkler system

No one was hurt when a fire broke out at a sausage factory in Simpsonville on Saturday.  Shelby County dispatchers confirmed the fire started just after 6 p.m. at their building in the 6900 block of Shelbyville Road in Simpsonville, Kentucky.

Two fire departments responded to fight the flames. The fire reportedly happened in the freezer room. Employees say the sprinkler system kept the fire contained.  No injuries have been reported at this time.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Mountain Grove, MO – Fire sprinkler system saves small business from further fire damage

The Mountain Grove Fire Dept. responded to a fire at 3-G Processing on the south side of the city. The fire was reported about 10 a.m. at the business on Industrial Park Drive. The company makes animal feed and products for biodiesel.

At first, firefighters didn’t think they were fighting a big fire, but were hampered when the fire moved to the ceilings and interior walls of the building. Mountain Grove’s fire chief says the company’s sprinkler system may have saved the building. Nobody was hurt.

By noon, fire crews were cleaning up and leaving the scene. Last October, another fire damaged a building at nearby Grisham Farms, which is a sister company to 3-G.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Columbia, MO – Sprinkler system saves Quaker Oats facility

Officials are investigating a fire at the PepsiCo Quaker Oats facility in Columbia Wednesday morning. Several employees called 911 around 6:25 a.m. to report a fire in a rice cake processing machine. They attempted to put the fire out with handheld extinguishers before evacuating the building. Shortly thereafter, the building’s automatic sprinkler system extinguished the fire.  According to Columbia Fire Battalion Chief John Metz, without the sprinkler system, the fire would’ve been “devastating”.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Gloucester, MA – Fire in freezer at seafood company extinguished by sprinkler system

A Gloucester firefighter sustained what the department termed a minor injury when crews responded to a fire within a freezer at the former Good Harbor seafood location within the Blackburn Industrial Park at around 2:15 p.m. Thursday.

Chief Eric Smith said a piece of equipment fell on the firefighter’s hand and he was brought to Addison Gilbert Hospital for evaluation. The small blaze was contained within the freezer, Smith said, and a sprinkler discharged and extinguished the flame.

“The sprinkler kept it under control,” he said.  The crew was still on scene as of 5 p.m. Smith said firefighters were disassembling the freezer to make sure no flames remained inside.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Sprinkler system helps control fire at Cargill Grain Mill (Ogden, UT)

A fire broke out Thursday afternoon at the top of the Cargill Grain Mill near G Avenue and 27th Street. Seven emergency vehicles responded to the scene at about 4:20 p.m. after smoke was initially seen near the top of the structure. A fire had broken out on the ninth floor, a flour processing area, the Ogden Fire Department reported. All employees were evacuated from the mill with no injuries. A sprinkler system was activated as crews from the Ogden and Roy fire departments worked on the blaze. The cause of the fire is still being determined by investigators.

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Sprinkler system handles fire at Hormel Foods (Fremont, NE)

A fire in the rendering section at Hormel Foods Corp. did minimal damage Thursday afternoon.
The Fremont Fire Department was called at about 3:45 p.m., and was on the scene for less than an hour. Lt. Doug Backens said some rendering grease caught fire, but the plant’s sprinkler system kept the fire in check. Firefighters encountered mostly smoke and steam by the time they arrived, he said.
Nobody was hurt in the incident.