There were no reported injuries and everyone was accounted for after a fire forced an evacuation at the Specialty Tire plant on Washington Street in Indiana this morning.
Indiana County 911 initially reported that Indiana fire company along with the hazmat team and Citizens’ Ambulance at 8:21 this morning. Clymer, Homer City, Creekside, along with Dauntless Fire Department from Ebensburg and Greensburg and Latrobe fire departments from Westmoreland County were also on the scene offering assistance. The fire was ruled electrical in nature and started in the compressor room. Employees were seen going in with forklifts to get some of the chemicals out.
Ron Moreau of the Indiana Fire Association said that had it not been for the rapid intervention of everyone involved, things could have been much worse.
Photo by Josh Widdowson
Photo by Josh Widdowson
Photo by Ken Brocious
Fire crews did have to cut holes in the roof to ventilate the building. The extent of the damage is still being calculated, but Ken Brocious, the Chief Financial Officer of Specialty Tire said that he does not expect this to be a long-term problem for them.
He added he was appreciative of the emergency crews for their quick work at the scene of the fire.
Video and photos of today’s fire can be found on our Facebook Page.
