Massive fire breaks out at GE’s Appliance Park in Kentucky

A fire erupted Friday at General Electric’s Appliance Park in Louisville, Ky., shutting down production at the sprawling manufacturing center that employs thousands.

In September, Swedish appliance maker Electrolux, which has its North American headquarters in Charlotte, said it was buying GE’s appliance business for $3.3 billion.

The fire broke out Friday morning in a building not used for production, creating huge columns of smoke as more than 100 firefighters battle the blaze.

GE spokeswoman Kim Freeman said the fire had been contained and that there no injuries. A building that warehouses production parts and contains offices for several hundred employees, however, has extensive damage, she said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Electrolux spokeswoman Eloise Hale said the company was thankful there were no injuries, but declined to comment on the pending acquisition, which still needs regulatory approval. Electrolux, which has said it will keep its North American headquarters in Charlotte, expects the deal to close this year.

Freeman said the acquisition is still going through the regulatory process.

GE makes a range of appliances at the facility, including washing machines, dryers, dish washers, refrigerators and water heaters. Observer staff writer Rick Rothacker contributed.

This story was originally published April 3, 2015 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Massive fire breaks out at GE’s Appliance Park in Kentucky."