Fire breaks out at Nestle instant coffee plant in Freehold

FREEHOLD — A fire in a coffee roaster at Nestle’s USA Beverage Division plant on Jerseyville Avenue brought firefighters from surrounding towns to the borough.

The fire, called in at 12:40 p.m., was brought under control in a half hour by 30 to 40 firefighters, Chief Jaye Sims of the Freehold Borough Fire Department said. No one was injured.

“If you’ve ever smelled burnt coffee in a pot, that’s what it smelled like,” Sims said.

Firefighters from Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan, Marlboro and Naval Weapons Station Earl joined the borough department to fight the fire because of the size of the plant, Sims said.

Firefighters train at the plant two to three times a year to prepare for just such emergencies and have dealt with a few fires there over the years, Sims said.

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The fire comes at a time when Nestle is deciding the fate of the 75-year-old plant. Nestle says it's outdated.More than 200 people work at the 500,000 square-foot facility that produces instant coffee.

The aroma of coffee in Freehold has a history as old as the plant. During his Broadway run, Bruce Springsteen mentioned that it arrived when there was moisture in the air.

“I don’t like coffee, but I love that smell. It’s comforting," he said.

Sims, who grew up in Freehold like Springsteen, also recalled the redolence of coffee in the borough, saying it served as a weather forecast.

“I remember my mother always saying it was going to rain when it smelled like coffee,” he said.

Ken Serrano covers breaking news, crime and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Freehold NJ: Nestle fire smells like burnt coffee