Heaps of charred potatoes can be seen in the rubble of the Penobscot McCrum processing plant in Belfast. Credit: Abigail Curtis / BDN

WASHBURN, Maine — The Penobscot McCrum potato processing facility in Washburn will soon ramp up production.  

The announcement follows the company’s Belfast facility being destroyed in a blaze last Thursday. The cause of the fire is estimated to be one of the facility’s large fryolators, according to the Maine Department Of Public Safety.

While the hope is that the Washburn facility can help the company recover from losses in production due to the fire, the Aroostook County plant had actually planned for increases anyway.

“Production was scheduled to increase prior to our fire in Washburn,” said Penobscot McCrum owner Jay McCrum. “We are in hopes that in the interim that we can help cover some of our lost production in Belfast in Washburn in order to keep up with our valued customers.”

There have not yet been any decisions made about whether employees from the Belfast plant will be transferred to Washburn.

David grew up in New York, and moved to Maine to study political science at the University of Maine. In his spare time, he loves hiking, playing tennis and skiing.