Production has resumed to a degree after Monday’s fire inside Emporia’s hostess plant.
JM Smucker Director of External Communications Frank Cirillo hasn’t offered specifics, but he says some production has resumed and assessments continue on when to resume full production.
Unspecified issues with a scissor lift heating oil system led to a flash fire when a pipe ruptured.
10:15 am Tuesday: Hostess flash fire due to damaged heating oil system with scissor lift
An investigation continues, but early findings indicate an accidental fire damaged some equipment inside Emporia’s Hostess production facility Monday.
Emergency Communications started getting calls shortly after 3:15 pm. Emporia Fire Marshal Stephen Beemer says crews found a fire involving a heating oil system in a production area.
Initial findings indicate a contractor was using a scissor lift and a closed-loop pumping system pipe for the heating oil was damaged by unspecified means. When the pipe was damaged, heated oil was released, exposed to air and ignited, causing a flash fire. Beemer says the oil has a flashpoint of around 375 degrees. Under normal circumstances, it would circulate under pressure and at higher temperatures.
Beemer says repairs are underway.
The contractor escaped safely and the plant was evacuated. No injuries were reported.
Beemer says Hostess staff and the building’s fire protection systems played a key role in limiting the fire spread and in preventing injuries.
Beemer says having properly-working fire suppression systems can be the difference between minor and devastating impact.
Hostess has not said whether production is on hold as a result of the fire.
8 am Tuesday: Investigation ongoing after fire at Emporia’s Hostess facility
An investigation continues after a fire at Emporia’s Hostess plant Monday.
Fire was reported just after 3:15 pm, and there was smoke evident as firefighters responded. Emporia Fire Battalion Chief Eron Steinlage says the fire was in a storage room near the production plant’s west wall. The fire was put out quickly.
Exactly what was burned has not been released. There is no official word from Hostess on any impacts to the production schedule. Employees were evacuated as a precaution as firefighters got the fire out and started their investigation.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
5 pm Monday: Fire out quickly at Emporia’s Hostess plant
Emporia Fire says there was a fire at the Hostess production plant. The fire is now out.
Firefighters were called to the plant just after 3:15 pm and saw smoke as they arrived. Crews found the fire at a currently-unspecified location inside and got it extinguished quickly. Other details are pending.
Emporia Police was on site briefly to help with traffic control. Employees were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
4:40 pm Monday: Fire reported at Emporia’s Hostess plant
Emporia firefighters have been dealing with a reported fire at the Hostess production plant.
Crews were called to Hostess before 4 pm and have been on scene since. Emporia Police was on site briefly to help with traffic control. Employees were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Currently, there is no word on exactly what happened or where issues may have developed. KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
