The Dominican factory that produces cigar brands such as Caldwell and Room101 was lost in a blaze that started early this morning.
Sirens blared in a Santiago free zone early this morning as firefighters fought a blaze that consumed the William Ventura factory in the Dominican Republic. William Ventura was a small factory known for producing cigars such as Room101 and Caldwell as well as lesser-known brands from companies such as La Barba and the newly formed Freud Cigar Co.
“They have yet to extinguish the fire,” Robert Caldwell of Caldwell Cigars told Cigar Aficionado this morning. “It started before 3 a.m., local time, and as of 10 a.m., local time, it is still burning.”
No injuries have been reported.
The factory is a total loss, according to multiple sources. Caldwell said that includes everything inside. “All inventory, including boxes, rings and finished cigars etc. We lost about 800,000 cigars that were awaiting packaging or aging. The factory’s total was higher.”