Smoky Fire Hits Iconic Pennsylvania Candy Company

Firefighters spent more than an hour Friday morning battling a smoky fire at Sarris Candies in Canonsburg.

Washington County emergency dispatchers said crews reported no injuries in the fire, which began in the Adams Avenue factory store about 6:45 a.m. Firefighters had it under control by 8:05.

The fire was in the second-floor packaging area, where firefighters had to wade through chocolate to battle it, said Canonsburg fire Chief Tom Lawrence. Investigators with the state police fire marshal's office are looking into the cause of the fire, Lawrence said. He described the damage to the structure as minimal.

Bill Sarris, president of the company, said he expected to reopen next week.

"At first, you think months, then weeks and now it's a couple of days," Sarris said. "We keep looking, and it's not as bad as it looked."

The family-owned business posted a message on its Twitter account this morning that said: "Thank you all for your prayers and kind words -- we will keep you posted."

Sarris Candies is a regional distributor of candy sold in about 300 grocery and gift stores and pharmacies and through school and other fund-raisers, as well at the block-long Adams Avenue store and factory. The company employs about 350 workers, according to its website.

The Sarris store, featuring a giant chocolate castle and stuffed animal displays, and its adjacent ice cream parlor with brass-accented booths and crystal chandeliers, have been tourist attractions for decades, especially before holidays such Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. The ice cream parlor underwent a renovation in 2010.

The company is especially known for its chocolate-covered pretzels and for the dozens of chocolate novelty items shaped like cellphones, bingo cards and animals that it sells at its store. At Easter, Sarris sells chocolate-covered, filled candy eggs weighing up to 5 pounds.

The football field-sized factory and store were built in stages, with production of chocolates scattered throughout, the Sarris website says. The plant has the capability to produce 12,000 pounds of chocolate a day.

Sarris Candies' annual sales are about $30 million, the website said.

Company founder Frank Sarris started the business in 1960 by making chocolates in his basement. Three years later, he built a small candy store next to his house, then tore down the house to make room for a bigger candy store. Sarris, also known for his philanthropic endeavors, died in March 2010.

Copyright 2012 - The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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