Conover, Hickory and St. Stephens fire departments responded to a fire at the Elite Comfort Solutions plant in Conover Wednesday afternoon. Chris Hicks with Conover fire said rubber foam was being loaded into a trailer at a loading bay when the material came too close to a gas-powered heater located just inside the bay door. The foam ignited. Thick black smoke could be seen from across the railroad tracks on Highway 70, Hicks said. Hicks indicated the interior of the trailer and parts of the loading bay received moderate damage. The three sprinklers that activated plus Elite personnel kept the fire from spreading early on, Hicks said.