A fire caused significant damage at the Mr. Chips Inc. food processing plant in Fraser Township, MI last Saturday afternoon and forced officials to order evacuations of some homes near the facility, local news organizations reported.
Over 60 firefighters responded to the North Huron Road site after the blaze started around 3:15 p.m., coverage by MLive.com said. The plant experienced “significant” damages during the incident and officials were concerned about potential runoff of vinegar and brine, Pinconning-Fraser Fire Department Chief Dave Ramsay told the news website.
The fire ignited in a processing area of the facility and spread into the facility’s insulation, Mr. Chips Vice President of Operations Gary Vermeesch said in an interview with television news station WNEM.
Homes on several streets near the plant were evacuated during the incident as a precaution, according to a post on the Bay County, Michigan 911 Central Dispatch Facebook page. Residents were allowed to return to their homes after a couple of hours.
No injuries were reported. Crews managed to douse the flames and overhaul the scene in about 15 hours, Chief Ramsay said in the MLive.com article.
Mr. Chips was established in 2000 as a subsidiary of Bay View Foods to process and package pickle, pepper and relish products, information on the company’s website states.
