This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
At the around-the-clock Rimports USA factory, workers metaphorically burn the candle at both ends, even as they make them.
Early Wednesday morning, it was the Provo manufacturing warehouse and its inventory of aromatic, artistic and decorative wickless candles and wax warmers that briefly were in peril of going up in flames.
Provo Fire Capt. Dean York said crews rushed to the scene, 201 E. East Bay Blvd., on a 12:23 a.m. 911 call and quickly doused the flames.
"The fire was inside a 5-by-5 foot plastic garbage can. Workers had been using a cutting torch to cut metal into smaller pieces and then placed them in this bin to cool. It caught fire," York said.
Acrid smoke from the burning plastic forced evacuation of dozens of workers for about an hour while firefighters ventilated the warehouse.
No injuries were reported, and damage was believed to have been minor.
York said such fires are common with homeowners putting ashes from a stove or barbecue into a plastic trash can, instead of a metal one.
But a fire in a candle factory? That's a first for his Provo firefighters.
Calls to Rimports seeking comment went unanswered Wednesday afternoon.
Twitter: @remims