Massive blaze destroys food packaging facility in Hammonton, NJ
HAMMONTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- Investigators are working to find the cause of a destructive, multi-alarm blaze in Atlantic County.
The fire started before 9 p.m. Thursday on the 200 block of Pine Road in Hammonton.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames showing inside the Buffalo Farms Freezer and Cold Storage Warehouse Facility, a vegetable and food re-packaging plant.
The warehouse is reportedly 200 by 500 feet, and the fire spread to several tractor trailers nearby before crews got the upper hand.
In the end, it took 200 firefighters about eight hours to douse the flames.
Two employees were rescued from inside the building. Their injuries were not serious.
The single-story facility was completely destroyed.
The original owner of the facility, Joe Luca, spoke with Action News as he toured the remains of the business he started and later passed on to his sons.
"It's very devastating to see something you put your blood and sweat into" go up in flames, he said. "But what are you going to do?"
Total damage is estimated to be between $3.5 million and $5 million.
The Luca family was scheduled to go to a closing on the sale of the building today. There's a lot of insurance money involved, so it is unclear what happens from this point on.
Fire investigators are working to determine what sparked the massive blaze.
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