http://www.boston.com/dailynews/364/nation/Fire_destroys_much_of_hot_sauc:.shtml

Fire destroys much of hot sauce plant as bottles explode amid flames

By Associated Press, 12/30/2001 13:29

LAKE PROVIDENCE, La. (AP) Bottles of hot sauce exploded amid the flames as a three-alarm fire destroyed much of the Panola Pepper plant.

The state Fire Marshall's office was investigating, but company president Grady Brown said Sunday that it appeared to have been arson.

''The door was broken in and filing cabinets were left open,'' Brown said. ''I don't think they were trying to steal hot sauce.''

Panola makes hot sauces and Worcestershire sauce, and bottles olives, jalapeno peppers and other products.

''Bottles were exploding, but not too bad,'' said Lloyd Chapman, chief of the East Carroll Parish Fire Department. ''The worst problem was in the storage area, the cases of labels and bottle caps. That burning plastic is hard to put out.''

The blaze was reported just before midnight Friday in Lake Providence, in Louisiana's northeast corner. Brown said it will take at least three months to rebuild and resume production.

It was the third fire for the 19-year-old company. A 1999 warehouse fire caused nearly $200,000 in damage. A 1986 fire destroyed the factory.

Brown started the business in 1983 with his mother's hot sauce recipe, according to the company's Web site.

On the Net:

Panola Pepper: http://www.panolapepper.com/

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2001