JONESBORO, ARK. — A Nestle facility in Jonesboro that caught fire on March 16 remained shut down as of March 21 as officials continued to assess the damage.
The Jonesboro Fire Department said it found a fire inside a “large piece of a production line cooler” at the plant.
“Due to the construction makeup of the cooler, the fire could not be easily accessed,” the Department said.
“The situation at our Jonesboro factory is under control and we are looking into the cause of the fire,” a Nestle spokesperson said. “Thankfully, no employees were injured and all are safe. We appreciate the quick response of the Jonesboro Fire Department and emergency response teams. The factory will remain closed as we assess the damage and return the factory to full operation. We plan to continue to support our employees financially during this time.”
Nestle opened the plant in 2002 and in December 2020 the company unveiled plans to invest more than $100 million to expand the frozen foods plant, including the addition of 90,000 square feet and a new production line for Hot Pockets frozen sandwiches. In addition to Hot Pockets, Nestle makes products under the Stouffer’s, Lean Cuisine, DiGiorno, Tombstone and Sweet Earth brands at the plant.
