Penobscot McCrum Potato Factory Won't Be Rebuilt After Fire, Company Shifts Focus to Washburn Facility

The Penobscot McCrum potato factory in Belfast will not be rebuilt after a massive fire destroyed the facility one year ago.

Firefighters started fighting the blaze at 28 Pierce Street around 3:30 a.m., on March 24, 2022, it took hours to get it under control due to metal siding and roofing on the building.

Luckily none of the eight employees working when the fire started were injured. The fire damage caused 138 workers to lose their jobs.

On Friday, March 24, 2023, the company announced that it would not rebuild its Belfast location, Dana McCrum, the company's human resource manager said in a Facebook post. Instead, it would focus its attention on growing and boosting manufacturing at its Washburn facility.

They have decided to expand their manufacturing in Washburn and making a significant investment in that facility. This investment will allow them to continue to work closely with growers and suppliers in Aroostook County whom they are already working with at their facility.

McCrum said investing in Washburn and in Aroostook County is a great opportunity for the company, but she is aware that choosing not to rebuild in Belfast will have an impact.