Fire destroys long time family business

SHERIDAN, Ind. (WISH) - Fire tore through a long-standing family business in Hamilton County on Friday.

It happened at 1061 East 236th Street in Baker's Corner's. That's just north of Westfield and east of Sheridan.

Chopper 8 captured pictures of the Pickett Sorghum Factory engulfed in flames. Smoke from the building could be seen for miles.

"The lord giveth and the lord taketh away. That's the way it is. We don't know why, but there's a reason," said Ron Pickett, the owner of the business.

Authorities said the fire started just after 11 a.m. on Friday. It quickly spread throughout the small building where Ron Pickett and his two sons made Sorghum, a molasses type sweetener. The family is devastated.

"It's just the fact that it's gone. It's totally gone," said Ron's wife Janice Pickett.

Crews from Noblesville, Westfield and Sheridan responded to the scene. Ron Pickett believes the fire may have been electrical in nature. He recalls turning on a switch inside the building and leaving. However, authorities are still probing the scene.

Although the factory has been in the family for generations, the Picketts said unfortunately they have no insurance on the facility and have no plans to rebuild. For them, it really is a passing of an era.

Beth Stewart and Shirley Jones are both from Bakers Corner's. For them, losing the Pickett factory is like losing family.

"The Picketts are just like our second family, so it's sad for us to hear of this loss today," said Stewart.

Jones said, "It makes me sick. I mean that because I've lived here 56 years."