The fire was reported just after 3:30 a.m. at the factory now operated by Wirerope Works Inc., which employed about a dozen people.
The main building at the plant was gutted by the time firefighters got to the scene, dispatchers said. The fire spread to a second building, but was contained within a few hours.
The factory known until recently as Paulsen Wire Rope had been a major employer in the Sunbury area. In 2002, the company was purchased out of bankruptcy by Williamsport Wirerope. Earlier this year, both companies were purchased and now operate under the name of Wirerope Works Inc. v The grants and loan forgiveness that state Rep. Brett Feese announced Tuesday were so it could stay open and preserve the jobs in Sunbury and more than 300 jobs in Williamsport. It was not immediately clear what would happen to the jobs in Sunbury following Wednesday's fire.
