DALLASTOWN, YORK COUNTY -
Fire investigators in York County are hoping to get inside a Dallastown area factory on Tuesday, in order to determine what caused a massive fire. Flames broke out around 10:30 Sunday night at Gerhardt USA at 400 East Locust Street. 150 firefighters from 15 different departments were called in to battle the flames and smoke. The State Police Fire Marshal believes the fire started in the chemical bath area in the center of the plant. It took about two hours for crews to bring the fire under control.
"Upon my initial arrival, we had heavy smoke showing from the front and rear of the building," said Chief Darryl Ehrhart, of Dallastown Fire and Rescue.
Two employees, who were reporting to work on Sunday night found the flames. They called their manager and 9-1-1. HAZMAT crews were also called in to handle chemicals in the building, including isopropyl alcohol, nickel and nitric acid. Those chemicals and other acids are used at the plant to help with cutting metal tools, die castings and cylinders for the printing industry. But, because of the hazardous materials, fire officials could not safely enter the chemical bath area to look for the cause.
President of Gerhardt USA, Ian Bates says, "We were pleased that no one was in there, that the guys who were on shift hadn't been in the building for a while and that they were safe. Obviously, now our thoughts, what we do with our employees and the work."
Bates says the company has already shifted its workload from the Dallastown facility, to a factory in the United Kingdom, to ensure customers' needs will be met. As a result, 30 employees at the Dallastown plant are waiting to see what happens, hoping they will soon get back to work.
"Upon my initial arrival, we had heavy smoke showing from the front and rear of the building," said Chief Darryl Ehrhart, of Dallastown Fire and Rescue.
Two employees, who were reporting to work on Sunday night found the flames. They called their manager and 9-1-1. HAZMAT crews were also called in to handle chemicals in the building, including isopropyl alcohol, nickel and nitric acid. Those chemicals and other acids are used at the plant to help with cutting metal tools, die castings and cylinders for the printing industry. But, because of the hazardous materials, fire officials could not safely enter the chemical bath area to look for the cause.
President of Gerhardt USA, Ian Bates says, "We were pleased that no one was in there, that the guys who were on shift hadn't been in the building for a while and that they were safe. Obviously, now our thoughts, what we do with our employees and the work."
Bates says the company has already shifted its workload from the Dallastown facility, to a factory in the United Kingdom, to ensure customers' needs will be met. As a result, 30 employees at the Dallastown plant are waiting to see what happens, hoping they will soon get back to work.
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