Encore RV suffered extensive damage due to a fire that started in the weld shop the morning of Nov. 22, Encore RV announced Monday. The fire occurred at about 2:30 a.m. local time, and the Elkhart Fire Department responded to the scene after receiving a call from a security officer that was patrolling the area. The security officer reportedly saw smoke and flames coming from the rear of the building where the weld shop is located, the company said in a press release.
The fire department was able to contain most of the fire to the weld shop preventing further fire damage into the main production area, the company said. The weld shop was a total loss and the remainder of the production facility and offices suffered severe smoke and soot damage. No one was in the building and there were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, the press release stated.
“Our workforce was devastated to learn of the fire when they arrived at work Wednesday morning. We are committed to continuing to employ our entire team through this ordeal; this is our family, and we stand with each other in difficult times,” Encore founder Rich Schnippel said. “This is certainly a setback, but we are focused on getting Encore back up and running as quickly as possible in a new facility.
“We are touched by the outpouring of support that we have received not only from our Encore owners and dealers, but also other manufacturers and suppliers in the area that have offered their help. It’s times like these that you truly come to appreciate living and working in a community like Elkhart, Indiana.”
Encore RV manufactures both the RŎG and VENŪ Adventure Trailer lines and has dealers throughout the Unites States and Canada.