Fire burns old Sanders headquarters in Highland Park - Fox 2 News Headlines

A piece of Michigan history went up in flames Saturday as a large fire raced through the former Sanders Confectionery headquarters and bakery in Highland Park.

Billowing plumes of thick gray smoke could be seen at least 10 miles away hours after the fire was reported about 5:30 a.m. Crews from Highland Park, Detroit and Hamtramck had brought the blaze in the 100,000-square-foot building under control by late morning and prevented it from spreading.

The factory had produced Sanders treats for decades before closing a number of years ago as the company hit tough financial times. It was vacant at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

"There's foam and pallets inside there so, it's just combustible materials," Fire Chief Derek Hillman told WWJ-AM. "There's no danger to the citizens."
 
The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Sanders Chocolates opened in Detroit before 1900 and grew to more than 57 stores. The company sold candy, baked goods, fudge toppings and other treats, according to its website.
 
Michigan-based Morley Candy now makes Sanders chocolate and desserts.
 
"Back in the day, it was an institution," Nicholas Becharas, whose family owns and operates a coffee grinding factory near the old Sanders building, said of Sanders.
 
"I've been through this plant many, many times as a child, as a teen," Becharas told The Detroit News on Saturday. "And to see it now compared to what I remember of it in its heyday is very sad. It was sad when they left and it's sad to see it go like this."