Two fires broke out at pet food facilities on Thursday, with one including evacuations. Thankfully, no injuries were reported at either facility and there was not a total structure loss at either.
Alphia
Alphia, a private-label pet food manufacturer with a plant in Ogden, UT, that dates back to 1984, produces both dry pet food and pet treats. The fire on Thursday lasted five hours per local news outlets, and forced evacuations of workers at the plant, which spans an entire city block and was closed while crews investigated, according to Deputy Fire Chief Matt Hess.
At about 3 p.m., crews were nearby and noticed unusual smoke coming from one of the plant’s smoke stacks, Hess said. Crews spoke with a forklift operator in the plant yard, who said the smoke wasn’t normal, which prompted crews to contact management.
An oven that makes biscuits was discovered by fire crews on the second floor of the building, which is where the pet food is produced, and might be the cause of the fire, though the investigation is ongoing.
There were no injuries.
The factory experienced a similar incident earlier this year, Hess said.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition
A fire occurred around 4 a.m. Thursday at the Emporia, KS, Hill’s Pet Nutrition facility. Crews responded to a “small fire” at the plant, where they found sprinklers going off and eventually found a large air compressor on fire, according to a report from local KVOE Radio. The sprinkler system put the fire out.
No injuries were reported and no evacuations were needed. There were also minimal disruptions reported for the overnight work flow. A cause is to be determined. There is no evidence of the fire spreading to any other areas of the plant, the reported stated.
This Hill’s plant produces dry dog and cat foods for its Science Diet and Prescription Diet brands. It has been located in Emporia since 2007, with its headquarters located in Topeka, KS, as well.
Dining and Cooking