HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Pahrump firefighters cool down the smoking coffee roaster Thursday afternoon. HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Firefighters investigate damage to the building in which Pahrump Valley Roasters is located after heat damaged the coffee machine inside. Advertisement

Wednesday, firefighters responded to a fire at a coffee retail and manufacturing business located at 301 S. Oxbow Drive, in the mall next to the cul-de-sac across the street from the Saitta-Trudeau auto dealership.

However, according to Pahrump Valley Fire-Rescue Services Chief Scott Lewis, "It wasn't exactly a fire as much as a computer malfunction causing the coffee beans to overheat."

The smell of burnt coffee permeated the building but dissipated when the shipping bay was opened.

"When you burn coffee beans it creates smoke but not necessarily fire," said Lewis. "In this case, the materials released through the smoke stack. However, we treated the incident as if it were a fire. The crew used hoses to cool the beans down."

There was no smoke damage to the building and no open flames.

Mary Ann Wiberg opened Pahrump Valley Roasters about a year ago. She has five years experience in the coffee business. This is, however, her first time owning a business and by all means the first time her business has been introduced via a visit from the fire department.

"I finally took the leap after the owner of the coffee business I worked at in Las Vegas moved out of state," she said.

She confirmed the control panel in her roaster failed at the end of the roast. Normally, when roasting is complete, the computer releases the beans. However, when the computer failed the beans had to be taken out manually, which could not be done in time.

"Normally, I am at the shop every day," said Wiberg. "But that day I had visitors and stayed in Las Vegas. It was torture trying to get updates on the phone."

She said a coffee broker lined up another roasting house that will roast her beans until she can get a new control panel up and running.

"Our next step will be opening a place for customers to sit and enjoy coffee," she said. Wiberg sells various roasted beans to bulk accounts and in smaller amounts for coffee lovers who want to brew exceptional coffee at home.

Wiberg's staff roasts and stocks 20 different coffee blends and flavors.

"The beans come from all over the world in 100- to 150-pound bags and we roast them. We roast 100 percent Colombian, Brazilian, Kona, Mexican and Guatemalan coffee beans. We also have French and Italian roasts," she said.

Flavors available are cappuccino, cocoa-mocha twist with cinnamon and chocolate, English toffee, French vanilla, hazelnut, Irish cream, macadamia nut, white chocolate and a roast Wiberg calls red, white and blue that is made from raspberries, white chocolate and blueberries.

"We'll also carry seasonal flavors like peppermint and eggnog coffee." The shop will be closed for the Labor Day weekend, but is normally open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Wiberg is looking forward to the Fall Festival where she will be selling coffee by the cup and beans by the bag.