Dansons, the parent company of Pit Boss, opened the largest barbecue wood pellet mill in the country back in 2021. The facility in Hope, Arkansas is about 335,000 square feet and sits on 143 acres with a maximum capacity of up to 300,000 tons if the space was fully utilized.
Unfortunately, they had a fire there on Monday, December 23rd. It injured two employees and caused minor damage to the facility. The two employees received medical treatment and were released to go home.
In a statement to Southwest Arkansas Today, W.C. Bradley Co. Outdoor Cooking Group President, Tom Penner, expressed his concern for the well-being of the employees at the facility. The pellet plant will remain closed until further notice.
Our focus right now is on the recovery of our two team members and supporting the entire team at this facility. Thankfully, our team acted immediately to contain the fire, provided care to the two team members, and coordinated closely with emergency responders from the local community. The plant will resume operations once the company has completed its investigation and made appropriate repairs. Safety will remain our top priority.
Tom Penner, W.C. Bradley Co. Outdoor Cooking Group President
W.C. Bradley purchased Dansons, including their pellet facilities, last year. They have the largest pellet production capabilities of any outdoor cooking brand.
It’s been a tough year for incidents at grill fuel facilities. The pellet facility owned by Camp Chef’s parent company sustained major damage from a fire earlier this year before they ultimately sold it to Lignetics. There was also a fire at a Blues Hog charcoal storage facility a couple months ago.