Almond plant evacuated after machinery catches fire in Merced County
Machinery at a Merced County almond harvester caught fire on Tuesday, causing an evacuation, according to the company’s management.
The fire was reported about 2:10 p.m. inside a building at Harris Woolf California Almonds in the 11000 block of Newport Road in Ballico, according to Calfire.
All 43 employees were accounted for and uninjured, according to Brad Brown, the senior director of quality assurance and food safety.
“We’re not sure what exactly caused it,” he said. “It looks it started around the roaster.”
The building sustained minimal damage, he said.
CalFire responded with four engines, three water tenders, 15 firefighters and two battalion chiefs, according to Chief Jeremy Rahn.
Thaddeus Miller: 209-385-2453, @thaddeusmiller
This story was originally published November 14, 2017 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Almond plant evacuated after machinery catches fire in Merced County."