On Sept. 4, fire broke out in Chapman’s Ice Cream plant. By the end of the day, the Markdale, Ont.-based company’s plant was completely destroyed.
Chapman’s is the town’s largest employer, with 350 employees, and Canada’s largest independent ice-cream company.
Fire started by welder’s spark
According to local news reports, the fire was started by a welder’s spark as a crew was working on an expansion project at the plant. The owners of Chapman’s had purchased the 150-year-old plant in 1973.
Fire crews from four local departments spent the day trying to put out the flames, reports Bayshore Broadcasting. Two hundred employees were on shift that day and no one was injured.
The company’s distribution centre has enough product to last them up to three months. As for the employees, the Toronto Star reports that Chapman’s insurance company would pay salaried employees in full for one year and hourly employees for four months.
The owners also announced that they have every intention to rebuild in Markdale.
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