Fire at Rio Queen facility and office
Fire at Rio Queen facility and office
MISSION, TX -- The main citrus packing facility and the office for Rio Queen Citrus Inc. were destroyed by fire June 11 after a welder's torch apparently ignited insulation, according to an announcement from TexaSweet Citrus Marketing Inc. and the Texas Produce Association. There were no injuries in the complex, which was undergoing off-season repairs.
Nearby onion and melon sheds and a new call center building were not involved, and power and communications lines were being restored by the next day. While area firefighters were unable to save the building or contents, they were able to protect two large propane tanks near the citrus office.
"Obviously this is a major loss for us," Rio Queen Vice President Mike Martin said in the press release, "but we are gratified that nobody was seriously hurt, and we're already making plans to be back in business by the next citrus season, beginning in late September. We have two sheds adjacent to the citrus shed we can utilize this coming season, and we have the Interstate shed in Donna. Our compute records are intact, our staff is looking to the future, our growers and groves are unaffected, and we will rebuild as quickly as we can."
Rio Queen in one of the larger shippers of grapefruit and oranges in Texas. Through wholly owned affiliates, it also is a major supplier of domestic and imported onions and melons.
Nearby onion and melon sheds and a new call center building were not involved, and power and communications lines were being restored by the next day. While area firefighters were unable to save the building or contents, they were able to protect two large propane tanks near the citrus office.
"Obviously this is a major loss for us," Rio Queen Vice President Mike Martin said in the press release, "but we are gratified that nobody was seriously hurt, and we're already making plans to be back in business by the next citrus season, beginning in late September. We have two sheds adjacent to the citrus shed we can utilize this coming season, and we have the Interstate shed in Donna. Our compute records are intact, our staff is looking to the future, our growers and groves are unaffected, and we will rebuild as quickly as we can."
Rio Queen in one of the larger shippers of grapefruit and oranges in Texas. Through wholly owned affiliates, it also is a major supplier of domestic and imported onions and melons.