No injuries reported at MARS Horsecare fire

PHOTOS BY KURT IMMLER | DGKN

Smoke billows up from Mars Horsecare as crews battle a blaze Sunday morning.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GRACE ANDERSON

Smoke from MARS Horsecare in Dalton could be seen from the Sippo Valley Trail. 

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

 

 

DALTON  Fire damaged part of the MARS Horsecare production facility at about 10:45 a.m. Sunday.

No one was injured at the feed mill at 330 E Schultz Ave., according to a BUCKEYE Nutrition Facebook post.

“The damage is currently being assessed and we will have more details out to you as soon as we can,” the post stated.

The Facebook post stated the company is grateful to fire crews for “limiting the damage to our mill.”

According to a post on East Wayne Fire District’s Facebook page: “Crews were able to make entry and quickly knock down a small fire in the building.”

The cause is still under investigation. Departments that assisted EWFD included Kidron, Orrville, Apple Creek, North Lawrence, Chippewa Township, Massillon, and the Dalton Police Department. Kidron Fire Ladies Auxiliary provided drinks and lunch to responders.

The Pocock family of Massillon began the Buckeye Cereal Company in 1910, according to buckeyenutrition.com, which went on to produce livestock feeds. In 2005, Mars, Inc., also a family-owned company, purchased Buckeye Nutrition, and the focus shifted to premium equine nutrition.

Vickie Menges, president of the Dalton Community Historical Society, shared some history that had been compiled for the historical society thanks to Clarabel Kurzen, a Dalton resident who had served as corporate secretary for the company.

The company is no stranger to rebuilding after fires. Before the company moved to Dalton, fire destroyed buildings in 1943 in Massillon. On Jan. 31, 1969, fire in the main elevator caused damage.
Another fire in May 1985 cost the company about 15 percent of its dog food business for about one month.