Your arteries after the holidays aren’t the only thing clogged with butter, as a fire last week at a Wisconsin dairy plant has left storm drains and a historic canal filled with dairy.
According to the Wisconsin Depart of Natural Resources, the fire at an Associated Milk Producer facility in Portage left an estimated 20 gallons of butter in the Portage canal via a storm sewer.
The Portage Fire Department shared information on the incident on its Facebook page, saying that the fire was started in a room used to store butter.
Because of the heavy smoke and butter runoff from the melting product, first responders had trouble getting into the facility, taking several hours before the fire was extinguished.
The butter was removed from the canal by Thursday — but it was unclear if toast or biscuits were used to help in the process.
Officials with the state’s DNR have shared that the impact on the environment from the incident was minimal.
“Most of the butter that left the facility exited via the sanitary sewer and traveled to the wastewater treatment plant,” according to the department. “Wastewater plant personnel have been clearing butter out of the plant since the incident. The treatment plant has operated effectively without disruption, though some temporary exceedances are anticipated.”
The Associated Milk Producers thanked the local firefighters and first responders for helping control the fire in a statement to CNN.
“We appreciate their professionalism and hard work, as well as that of our employees, under difficult circumstances,” the company wrote in its statement.
An investigation into the fire and how it started has been launched, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
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