Tortilla chips spontaneously combusted at factory in Austin

The Austin Fire Department was called to a tortilla chip factory last week after several cases of chips spontaneously combusted. The Austin Fire Department was called to a tortilla chip factory last week after several cases of chips spontaneously combusted. Photo: Field Training Officer/Austin Fire Department Photo: Field Training Officer/Austin Fire Department Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Tortilla chips spontaneously combusted at factory in Austin 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Turns out, tortilla chips can explode.

According to a Facebook post from the Austin Fire Department Wednesday, firefighters were called to a tortilla chip factory at 6110 Trade Center Drive last week because cases of food waste from making tortilla chips spontaneously combusted, setting the building aflame.

"Tortilla chips are big business around these parts," the fire department said. "We take them seriously, as they are responsible for holding all manner of very important things—like queso, salsa, nachos, and various other sundry items that are critical to a Texan's everyday life and well-being. So imagine how distressed we were to be called to a fire at a tortilla chip factory earlier this week."

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The outside of the building as well as several crates of the tortilla waste burned before the fire could be put out.

The factory had been trying out a new method for dealing with the waste from making the chips. It apparently did not pan out long term, especially considering previously un-ignited boxes of the same waste also spontaneously caught fire while the fire department was on the scene.

"Then, to add insult to injury, additional (previously uninvolved) boxes of the same food waste spontaneously combusted just three days later," the fire department said.

To ensure there would not be any future explosions, the firefighters "drowned" the remaining crates that had not yet exploded.

But don't worry, because the fires only involved food waste, there will not be any tortilla chip shortages anytime soon.

Chase Karacostas is a staff writer for mySA.com. | Chase.Karacostas@express-news.net | Twitter: @ChaseKaracostas