UK: Fire crews tackle smoulder at Muntons Suffolk malting plant

A Suffolk maltings supplier saw more than 100 tonnes of its product destroyed as a total of nine fire engines were called to tackle a blaze, the East Anglian Daily Times reported on January 6.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service sent the fire crews to Muntons, off Needham Road in Stowmarket, at 9.50pm on Thursday, January 5, after a fire had been reported at the site.

The scene had been made safe by about 4.40am on Friday, January 6, after crews tackled a smoulder in the facility for about seven hours during the night.

A spokeswoman for Muntons issued an update that said: "There was a smoulder in the intake driers, affecting around 130 tonnes of barley.

"The fire brigade responded quickly to our early warning system.

"We had a total of nine vehicles on site, with four engines that rotated in shift throughout the night to diligently dampen all the barley affected.

"We are pleased to report that the smoulder was contained and has now been entirely eliminated.

"The site is up and running as usual, so there is no risk of a chocolate, malt loaf or beer shortage."

Initial reports suggested that up to 16 crews had been called to the smoulder, including teams from Ipswich East, Haverhill and Ixworth alongside crews from Princes Street, Holbrook, Debenham, Needham Market, Stowmarket, Hadleigh, Sudbury, Long Melford, Bury St Edmunds, Elmswell and Newmarket.

All site personnel have been accounted for and no injuries have been reported.

The final few crews remained at the site on Friday morning as a precaution.

Muntons is one of the world's largest producers of malt and has two plants in the UK – one in Stowmarket and one in Yorkshire.

The firm purchases more than a quarter of a million tonnes of locally grown malting barley every year, from which the malt and ingredients are made, including brewing and distilling malts and at-home beer-making kits.

05 January, 2024