A large fire broke out just after 6PM last night at the Echo Lake Foods facility at 33102 South Honey Lake Road in Burlington, WI.

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The fire building was one of a series of six buildings inter-connected at the facility that processes the following according to the company website:

We are passionate in our commitment to producing the best quality egg products and breakfast-style entrees.

•  PRECOOKED EGG ENTREES
•  FRENCH TOAST & PANCAKES
•  CREPES AND BLINTZES
•  PRECOOKED SCRAMBLED AND DICED EGGS
•  FROZEN LIQUID EGGS
•  WAFFLES
•  MINI PANCAKES

BURLINGTON – An eight-alarm fire has gone into its 13th hour of burning out of control Thursday morning at the Echo Lake Foods processing plant in Burlington.

“There still is active fire.  It is not contained at this point,” said Fire Chief Richard Lodle during a 5 a.m. news conference Thursday which aired live on TODAY’S TMJ4.

More than 80 fire departments and 200 firefighters have given their assistance to the Burlington Fire Department.

The Burlington Police Department evacuated 10 homes and an apartment building, assisting about 50 people.

The fire broke out just after 6 p.m. Wednesday, and is at 33102 N. Honey Lake Road in Burlington, the site of Echo Lake Foods.

“The fire department discovered a significant fire upon arrival,” said Miller.

“The plant was successfully evacuated.  There were no injuries to employees or, so far, to any firefighters.”

Hazardous materials teams came on scene because of ammonia and liquid oxygen tanks.

Meanwhile, Burlington’s fire chief is rotating in hundreds of firefighters from around southeastern Wisconsin, as far away as Milwaukee County.

“That’s why the large number of departments that we have called in, the large number of personnel that we’ve had…We’re not rotating out and rotating back in.  When you rotate out, you go home.”

He also said they have not have much opportunity to enter the building and fight the fire from inside.

“The majority has been on a defensive mode.  At this point, we’re attempting to do an interior attack, if we can get crews in.”

The company, founded in 1941, produces eggs and egg products, as well as other breakfast products. The factory has a long history in the Burlington area.

“This will affect the city greatly.  We will attempt to help them rebuild and re-open the plant as soon as possible,” said Miller during the news conference.

“One of the largest employers…it’s going to be a loss of 300 jobs for a while.”

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