Late Saturday night, February 25, at approximately 11:30 p.m., a fire was reported in a House of Raeford Farms processing plant, known as the “Wallace Plant” in Teachey, North Carolina. The plant, which was heavily damaged by the fire, was not in operation at the time. Three first responders received minor injuries, were treated in the local hospital, and released.
Plant management worked quickly to secure the scene and ensure everyone’s safety. Emergency response teams worked to control the fire and remained at the plant location to ensure that the fire was under control. The Wallace plant remains closed until further notice.
While an official investigation of the fire is still in progress, preliminary findings from the fire investigative team indicated that the cause of the fire, which started in a second-floor office, was accidental.
Earlier this week, House of Raeford Farms Sustainability and Communications Manager Dave Witter provided an update regarding the fire from the Johnson and Beasley Families, owners of House of Raeford Farms, Inc.
“The Johnson and Beasley Families wish to extend their deepest appreciation for the heroic effort demonstrated by more than 21 first responder teams from communities throughout Southeaster North Carolina. The families are eternally grateful for their incredible fast and professional response to this incident,” Witter said.
“The families wish to express their deep and renewed commitment to the Wallace/Rose Hall community, and the many men and women who have worked and continue to work for House of Raeford at this facility. The family fully intendes to rebuild operations in the Wallace area as soon as possible. The groundswell of support that has come from this community is amazing, heartfelt and appreciated,” Witter said on behalf of the families.
House of Raeford Farms officials announced earlier in the week that all current employees at the Wallace processing plant would be paid their normal wage. House of Raeford’s human resources team and managers are currently in the process of contacting each employee and company officials are working diligently on reassignment plans. On Tuesday, the first round of employees displaced by the weekend fire at the Wallace plant began working at the company’s Rose Hill, North Carolina facility.
The Wallace plant is approximately 95,500 square feet and employed 675 employees. The damage from the fire could keep the plant closed for months.
House of Raeford Farms operates eight plants in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Louisiana.
