The State Fire and Rescue Service said that the information about the fire was received at 8 p.m. When fire fighters arrived at the site flames had spread to the hangar's metal roofing in 2,000 square meters area. Due to the heat and intensity of flames the roof collapsed.

After the fire accident Latfood has suspended potato chips production in Adazi until the management and shareholders' further decisions, the company said. Representatives of shareholders and foreign insurance companies are expected to arrive in Adazi on Wednesday to clarify the situation and decide on further operations. For the time being the damage brought by the fire has not been calculated yet.

Solveiga Smiltene, spokeswoman of the fire and rescue service, said investigators will be able to start their work at the site only after the fire is extinguished completely. However, according to eyewitnesses, the potato chips plant could catch fire due to a malfunctioning equipment on the third floor of the hangar or due to an employee's negligence. Investigators do not rule other possible versions, too.

As there were large tanks with cooking oil kept on the second floor of the hangar, fire fighters concentrated their efforts on keeping flames away from the oil tanks. They succeeded in doing that and averted a possible explosion.

There were no human casualties in the fire accident.

Latfood, founded in 1993, is owned by Finland's Chips Apb which has operations in Finland, Sweden Denmark, Norway, Russia and the Baltic states. In Latvia the company's products are sold mainly as Adazu Cipsi brand.