Fire occurs at former Oscar Mayer headquarters

A fire that broke out at the former Oscar Mayer headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, is under investigation, according to a report the Madison Fire Department (MFD).

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Adam Fast, Freeimages.com
Adam Fast, Freeimages.com

A fire that broke out at the former Oscar Mayer headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, is under investigation, according to a report from the Madison Fire Department (MFD).

The MFD was dispatched to the building for a report of a commercial fire alarm at 9:16 p.m. on January 19, and crews arrived on the scene seven minutes later. Upon arrival, firefighters smelled smoke and upgraded the call to a full structure fire response, adding additional engines and ladders, a medical unit and a command car. Assistance was provided by the Maple Bluff Fire Department.

A security guard on site located the fire on the sixth floor of the building, and the guard emptied three fire extinguishers while trying to put it out. The MFD was able to put out what remained of the fire with their water can extinguishers, the department’s report stated.

The security guard was evaluated by paramedics for minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.

The two responding fire departments also used fans to ventilate the building and clear it of smoke.

No damage estimate was provided.

Oscar Mayer is a subsidiary of the Kraft Heinz Company. Kraft Heinz announced in late 2015 that it was going to relocate Oscar Mayer and the Kraft Heinz U.S. Meats Business Unit headquarters from Madison to Chicago, where the parent company’s corporate office is located. At the same time, Kraft Heinz announced it was closing six of its plants in the United States, including one in Madison, and another plant in Canada.

It was reported in 2017 that Reich Brothers, which buys shuttered buildings and sells their assets, would acquire the former Oscar Mayer headquarters.

Kraft Heinz formed in 2015 with the merger of H.J. Heinz Co. and Kraft Foods. A diversified food and beverage company with an international presence, Kraft Heinz is the sixth largest turkey company in the United States. In 2019, the company processed 340 million pounds of live turkeys, according to the WATTAgNet Top Companies Database.

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