Chocolate 'snow' dusts town in Switzerland as Lindt factory malfunctions

Local news portals reported that the town of Olten had been dusted with a chocolate powder with one resident—whose white car had been covered in "chocolate snow"—suspecting the nearby Lindt & Sprüngli factory behind the occurrence.

The company later confirmed a minor defect in the cooling ventilation caused the incident and strong winds helped spread the chocolate in the immediate vicinity on Friday morning.

The company—which makes roasted "cocoa nibs" in the factory—told the Associated Press that the ventilation system has since been repaired. Factory production has also been able to continue normally.

The "chocolate snow" is completely harmless to people and the environment, the company said.

It also offered to pay for any cleaning needed, noting that a car had been lightly dusted with chocolate.

Meanwhile, Twitter took the news positively, with many commenting that the incident had been among some of the good news this year.

"Finally 2020 delivers!" wrote one user. "If only God would give us a sign that 2020 might just be turning a corner," said another.

Perhaps echoing the sentiments of chocolate lovers around the globe, one Twitter user wrote: "Snowing chocolate!!! Yes please."

In May 2018, a vehicle carrying around 12 tons of liquid chocolate overturned on a Polish highway, spilling its sweet fillings and blocking six lanes of traffic between the towns of Wrzesnia and Slupca.

In December 2018, a road had to be closed in the German town of Westönnen after a tank of chocolate in a factory spilled, pouring chocolate into the street.