20,000 lbs of chocolate lost in fire

CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) - An official says a fire at a candy factory in southwestern Pennsylvania destroyed nearly 20,000 pounds of chocolate.

The blaze broke out early Friday morning at a second-floor packaging area at Sarris Candies in Canonsburg in Washington County.

Plant manager Dennis Sroka tells The (Washington) Observer-Reporter ( http://bit.ly/Axc2wa ) that a health inspection determined that Sarris must destroy the candy, which either melted or had smoke damage.

Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome says officials will inspect the damage Monday. He says the fire does not appear to be suspicious.

Sroka says the inspection will also determine whether an additional 5,000 pounds of chocolate packaged for sale in the store will have to be destroyed.

But he says most of the company's stock survived because it is stored in an off-site warehouse.

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Information from: Observer-Reporter, http://www.observer-reporter.com