Shortly after 3 p.m., there were reports of smoke at Piper, located near the Vero Beach Regional Airport. As of 3:15 p.m., the fire was out, Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Kyle Kofke said.
According to Kevin Keegan, Piper Aircraft’s vice president of general counsel, a piece of equipment caught fire in the building’s main factory.
“We don’t have all the answers yet but that’s what we know so far,” Keegan said.
The sprinkler system kept the fire from growing until firefighters arrived to douse it, Kofke said. The blaze happened in a paint booth within the main factory.
Piper Aircraft employees were evacuated from the building’s main factory after an “emergency evacuation” was issued for every employee, workers confirmed.
The morning employees were told to go home immediately after the evacuation, while the afternoon shift took their place.
The fire was contained and no injuries were reported.
The state Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate the cause of the fi
