SNOWFLAKE — A late-night fire damaged ZenniHome’s newly remodeled manufacturing facility in Snowflake, just weeks before the company was set to begin operations there.
The blaze broke out around 10 p.m. Monday night and was quickly met with a response from local emergency crews, Timber Mesa Fire District, and Taylor-Snowflake Fire and Medical. No injuries were reported.
According to ZenniHome, preliminary information points to a possible link between the fire and an earlier incident at the facility involving a subcontractor’s welding crew. Around noon the same day, a small blaze believed to have been caused by welding activity near wooden infrastructure was extinguished. Officials are now investigating whether that earlier fire was fully contained.
The facility is located at the site of the former Snowflake paper mill, which operated from 1961 until its closure in 2012. The historic mill property, with its rail access and existing industrial infrastructure, was repurposed by ZenniHome for modular housing production.
“Our first priority is the safety of our team and our community,” ZenniHome CEO Bob Worsley said in a statement. “We are working closely with investigators and taking all necessary steps to understand what happened.”
The Snowflake site was slated to begin production following the closure of ZenniHome’s Page, Arizona factory on July 14. The company has not yet released an estimate of the damage or indicated whether the opening will be delayed.
ZenniHome specializes in sustainable, high-quality modular homes aimed at addressing housing needs through innovative design and manufacturing. The company says it will provide further updates to Mountain Daily Star as the investigation progresses.
Picture Credit: Timber Mesa Fire District
