Full investigation under way after blaze at sugar factory
Crews at the scene of the fire - Credit: Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
A Suffolk sugar factory boss said he was thankful no one was injured after a blaze broke out in a drying area sparking a huge emergency services response.
Fifteen fire crews were on the scene on Thursday, February 18, after the alarm was raised at 3.50pm at the British Sugar factory in Bury St Edmunds. It was quickly brought under control. The plant is currently still processing farmers' sugar beet crop and operating as normal, the company confirmed.
The crews worked with the on-site British Sugar fire team, and a stop was declared at 5.43pm.
The company said there would be no impact on the campaign - or sugar beet harvest - end date for the plant, which is still scheduled for the end of February. Beet slicing and sugar production was unaffected, it added.
Site general manager Andy Simms said: “We can confirm that there was a fire at the drying area of our Bury St Edmunds factory yesterday afternoon. The fire was quickly localised and with the support of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service it was extinguished and the area declared safe.
"We are thankful that no one was injured. The factory continues to operate normally and we will now undertake a full investigation into the cause of the fire.”
The 30m by 30m blaze started in a high-rise building on the site and affected a conveyor belt, the fire service said.
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Crews from Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Woodbridge, Wickhambrook, Ixworth, Newmarket, Cambridge and Thetford were in attendance.
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