COVINGTON, Tenn. — Multiple fire departments responded shortly after noon Tuesday to a fire at the Unilever Covington Ice Cream Factory plant.
Employees were evacuated from the plant Tuesday afternoon and it appears no one was hurt. There was concern about flammable chemicals at the plant, but they did not catch fire.
The mayor said an air handling unit on the roof caught fire, spreading to roofing materials.
Fire crews from several surrounding communities had the fire under control in a little more than an hour.
A Unilever spokesperson issued a statement Tuesday afternoon: “We can confirm everyone is safe and evacuated. We are looking into the situation. No further details at this time.”
No cause had been determined by Tuesday night.
The Covington plant was billed as the world’s largest ice cream plant with a projected 428 employees when it opened in 2013.
