Fire Caused by 'Housekeeping Issue'

Fire officials said Tuesday's oven fire at Foss Manufacturing was likely created by a buildup of resin in the oven, which lead to substantial damage in the machine and connected ductwork.

Hampton Fire Prevention Officer Scott Steele said the fire, , is still under investigation.

He did say, though, that the fire "did start in the oven," which contained excess resin used in the automotive carpeting process.

"It looks to be a housekeeping issue as far as the stove itself potentially had a buildup of material inside," said Steele. "A buildup of that material combined with the heat could have caused the fire. It's still technically under investigation."

The fire was defeated within about 40 minutes, and Steele said there were no injuries to employees at the large plant or to responding firefighters despite environmental temperatures nearing 90 degrees.

Steele said his department is still inspecting the building's damage. One portion of building has shuttered production temporarily due to the damage, although employees have been able to work in other areas of the building since Tuesday night.