Jackie O’s Production Brewery and Taproom remains standing after a fire broke out adjacent to the main building Wednesday afternoon.
The fire, which was contained within a carport attached to the taproom, was started by a truck, said Deputy Service Safety Director Ron Lucas, who added that the facility’s sprinkler system had the fire “pretty much under control” by the time crews arrived on scene.
Due to the potential magnitude of the fire, the Athens Fire Department called in every firefighter on its 22-member roster. Although nobody was hurt, the possibility of the blaze spreading called for an increased firefighter presence.
“Being inside the structure, we worry that it could spread to the whole structure,” AFD Chief Rob Rymer said. “So we put out an all-call, we bring everybody in off duty to make sure it’s under control.”
As crews began to exit the scene at 25 Campbell St., Rymer was unclear as to how the truck, which is used to transport grain to local farmers, had caught fire.
“It’s always difficult for vehicles to determine how it started,” Rymer said. “Sometimes you’re driving and you hear a backfire, it could be electrical.”
A group of about five patrons remained on the Jackie O’s patio as fire trucks began clearing the scene.
“We didn’t really see anything,” Kayce Carrick, one of the people on the patio, said. “We were inside, and we just smelled smoke and that was it. So we just left.”
The group planned to enjoy the warm weather and finish their beers on the patio.
Jackie O’s was voted among the Top 100 Brewers in the World by RateBeer.com, which annually releases a list of their best breweries across the globe. In January, they celebrated more than a decade in the business with their 11th Year Anniversary Extravaganza.
Last May, the Taproom hosted then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during her Athens campaign stop.
