Down but not out: Hilke’s Ice
Photo by Echo Valley Productions
This overhead shot was taken by Echo Valley Productions as they used a thermal drone to assist firefighters with finding active fires and heat signatures at the Freeburg fire.
From its origins in 1974 at Hilke’s Cafe until the present day, Hilke’s Ice Company has sought to meet the needs of its customers. Even a devastating fire that engulfed the Freeburg plant early Wednesday morning hasn’t dimmed their mission.
In a news release by the Missouri Division of Fire Safety, the fire was determined to be accidental in nature, originating at one of the machines. Employees discovered the fire while loading pallets of ice onto trucks and called 911, with fire crews dispatched at approximately 12:37 a.m. Wednesday.
A large area-wide response by fire departments was necessary to control the blaze.
“Fire service agencies from Freeburg, Belle, Iberia, Gravois Mills, Mid County, Lake Ozark, Sunrise Beach, Eldon, Moreau, Vienna, Osage County, Vichy, Linn, Westphalia, Meta, and Argyle assisted in the effort to extinguish the fire, which included the use of tanker strike teams. The Division of Fire Safety Mutual Aid Coordinator worked with Region F Mutual Fire Mutual Aid to arrange assistance. Wieberg Red-E-Mix Inc. sent several concrete trucks to shuttle water to the fire scene,” the press release read.
Thankfully, no one was injured during the incident.
Laron & Donna Hilke own and operate the company, which was started by Laron’s parents, John and Marie, a half-century ago. The business supplies ice to retailers and restaurants, and for special events. Their plant was making over 120 tons of ice per day, both cubed and block. Hilke’s Ice delivers their product over a wide part of central Missouri, including into Texas County. Most are familiar with the white ice chests and red Hilke’s Ice Co. lettering seen at retailers throughout the area.
The company is a part of what Donna Hilke referred to as an ice association family. She explained that family was the correct term to use, because of the way they help each other out. They received over 100 calls from all over when word of the fire got out, offering assistance until they can rebuild.
Thanks to this ice association family, Hilke’s Ice is continuing to deliver to its customers. Bags of ice are being shipped in from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Mississippi, and other places until they are up and running again.
“We will rebuild,” assured Donna Hilke. Three new icemakers have already been ordered, as well as other equipment, and they will be ready to install when a new building is finished.
The statement on their official Facebook page says it all, “We may be down but we are not out. We are still in business as normal. Thank you for everyone’s help and support at this time.”
