Machine Catches Fire At Plymouth Business

Firefighters encountered heavy smoke tonight when they entered the on Fernbrook Lane in Plymouth.

The call came into dispatch at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday of a possible appliance fire at a business. When Plymouth Fire Department and emergency responders arrived at Seelye they found heavy smoke coming from the rear of the building.

"A laser-cutting type of machine had caught on fire," said Deputy Fire Chief Kip Springer. "When we encountered the heavy smoke, the call was upgraded and we received mutual aid from Minnetonka and Wayzata."

The mutual aid from Wayzata was canceled en route after crews were able to kill the power to the machine and extinguish the fire, Springer said.

There were no injuries and any damage is not yet known. Springer said damage was mainly limited to the machine and the area immediately around it.

At 7 p.m. crews were still on the scene clearing out the smoke. There were 25 emergency responders who responded to the incident, including one ambulance.

It is not known how many employees or people were in the building at the time of the incident or how the fire occurred. Patch was unable to reach a representative with the company Wednesday evening.

According to the company's website, Seelye Craftsmen Co. is a precision metal fabricator serving many Fortune 500 companies and more than 400 customers in different industries. The company uses a variety of machines and processes such as laser cutting, cnc forming, panel forming, cnc punching, machining, welding, and finishing. Seelye Craftsmen Co. has 34,300 square feet of manufacturing space, 4,000 square feet of office space and employs 70 working two shifts.