Damage from the fire at Tapugan: 6,000 tons of potatoes went up in flames
A fire in the Sha'ar HaNegev industrial zone has shut down the Tapugan factory. The blaze destroyed approximately 6,000 tons of potatoes, though no product shortages are expected in stores.
The fire that broke out at the beginning of the week in the Sha'ar HaNegev industrial zone in Sderot has shut down the Tapugan factory. Estimates are that the company will be able to return to operations only after the end of the Sabbath. Sources close to the company estimate that due to the decline in catering and entertainment activity during the 'Iron Swords' war, Tapugan has a relatively large inventory that will prevent a shortage of products in stores. The cause of the fire has not yet been reported.
Calcalist has learned that the fire destroyed about 6,000 tons of potatoes stored by the leader of the frozen french fry market in Israel. In addition, collateral damage was caused to electricity, communications, and sewage infrastructure, as well as the sorting and raw material supply system for the factory. The fire broke out in the Yevulim complex, owned by the Shir-Sharon company, owned by Shlomo Yehoshua and Ron Sharon, who held 26% and 36.3% of Tapugan, whose sale to the Green Lantern fund was completed at the beginning of the year at a valuation of about half a billion shekels.
Another tenant in the Yevulim complex is the Strauss company, which stores in one of the warehouses inventory of Tapuchips, produced at its savory snacks factory in Sderot. Following the fire, the company stated:
"The company's snack factory is far from the center of the fire, and production there continues as usual, so no damage to product supply or shortage on the shelves is expected."
Estimates are that hundreds of boxes of snacks were stored in the warehouse that caught fire, but the company has inventory in other logistics centers, so this is an insurance event for amounts that are not material to the organization. The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon, and two fire trucks that arrived at the scene extinguished it within two hours. The next morning, security patrols of companies in the area discovered that the fire had reignited. This time the fire raged for hours, and 25 firefighting teams, police forces, and emergency and rescue teams were required, working to isolate the complex and gain control of the fire until late in the evening.
