5 Alarm Fire!
Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 9:58 pm
http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/08/19/fire_breaking.html
Queen City Barrel Fire Now Five Alarms
Reported by: John McQuiston, Tom McKee
Web produced by: Stacy Puzo
Photographed by: Mark MacKay, Mark Slaughter, Sean Dunster, Jason Pruitt, Terry Helmer
Last updated: 8/19/2004 9:59:28 PM
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Update 10:39 p.m.: METRO advises that people who's routes are interrupted by the fire to call the detour hotline at: (513) 632-7538.
Update 10:04 p.m.: Four METRO routes have been interrupted by the fire but are being re-routed to allow emergency vehicles access to the fire.
Update 9:04 p.m.: Fire Chief Robert Wright will be holding a news conference at the Wendy's on Guest Street soon.
Update 8:39 p.m.: No formal evacuation has been announced for areas near the fire, but officials are saying people in the direct line of smoke should shelter in place until further notice. These are neighborhoods to the north east of the fire in Lower Price Hill.
Those in the line of smoke should stay inside, close their doors and windows, turn off heating and air conditioning and move to another floor to get away from the smoke. This is advised until the fire is brought under control which fire officials estimate could be around 2 a.m.
Red Cross shelter-in-place info (pdf)
Crews have been battling what is now being called a five alarm fire in the West End since 7 p.m.
Initial reports said the blaze was a three alarm fire that was later upgraded to a five alarm.
The fire is in what is believed to be a building that was part of Queen City Barrel at the corner of South and Woodrow Streets.
There are no reports of injuries at this time.
Smoke is covering several blocks in the are and can be seen billowing from the area. It is not clear whether the fire has spread from its original origin.
Police have shut down many of the main thoroughfares in the area leading to Queensgate and the West End. Traffic is still moving in moth directions on the 8th Street viaduct but access to the area via Dalton Ave and State Street has been blocked.
Queen City METRO is also on the scene as an assistance service to the fire departments.
Sallie Hilvers of METRO said buses are brought in to serve as relief stations for the firefighters, allowing them to get out of the heat and smoke and into an air conditioned environment.
Several former employees of the company have called 9News saying that this building was used as storage for the company and industrial barrels are reconditioned for reuse at that building. There are also a large number of wooden pallets inside.
Explosions can be heard near the scene. Fire officials believe the explosions are the lids of empty barrels inside being popped off by the heat of the fire.
In regards to the contents of the building, one caller said he had never seen so many barrels in one place, as in that building.
An insurance adjustor has already arrived on the scene. Red Cross and Salvation Army crews have also arrived on the scene to assist fire crews that have come from all over Cincinnati to assist firefighters on the scene.
Stay with WCPO.com and WCPO-TV for updates to this story. Please click "refresh" on your browser to view the most recent version of this story.
Queen City Barrel Fire Now Five Alarms
Reported by: John McQuiston, Tom McKee
Web produced by: Stacy Puzo
Photographed by: Mark MacKay, Mark Slaughter, Sean Dunster, Jason Pruitt, Terry Helmer
Last updated: 8/19/2004 9:59:28 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 10:39 p.m.: METRO advises that people who's routes are interrupted by the fire to call the detour hotline at: (513) 632-7538.
Update 10:04 p.m.: Four METRO routes have been interrupted by the fire but are being re-routed to allow emergency vehicles access to the fire.
Update 9:04 p.m.: Fire Chief Robert Wright will be holding a news conference at the Wendy's on Guest Street soon.
Update 8:39 p.m.: No formal evacuation has been announced for areas near the fire, but officials are saying people in the direct line of smoke should shelter in place until further notice. These are neighborhoods to the north east of the fire in Lower Price Hill.
Those in the line of smoke should stay inside, close their doors and windows, turn off heating and air conditioning and move to another floor to get away from the smoke. This is advised until the fire is brought under control which fire officials estimate could be around 2 a.m.
Red Cross shelter-in-place info (pdf)
Crews have been battling what is now being called a five alarm fire in the West End since 7 p.m.
Initial reports said the blaze was a three alarm fire that was later upgraded to a five alarm.
The fire is in what is believed to be a building that was part of Queen City Barrel at the corner of South and Woodrow Streets.
There are no reports of injuries at this time.
Smoke is covering several blocks in the are and can be seen billowing from the area. It is not clear whether the fire has spread from its original origin.
Police have shut down many of the main thoroughfares in the area leading to Queensgate and the West End. Traffic is still moving in moth directions on the 8th Street viaduct but access to the area via Dalton Ave and State Street has been blocked.
Queen City METRO is also on the scene as an assistance service to the fire departments.
Sallie Hilvers of METRO said buses are brought in to serve as relief stations for the firefighters, allowing them to get out of the heat and smoke and into an air conditioned environment.
Several former employees of the company have called 9News saying that this building was used as storage for the company and industrial barrels are reconditioned for reuse at that building. There are also a large number of wooden pallets inside.
Explosions can be heard near the scene. Fire officials believe the explosions are the lids of empty barrels inside being popped off by the heat of the fire.
In regards to the contents of the building, one caller said he had never seen so many barrels in one place, as in that building.
An insurance adjustor has already arrived on the scene. Red Cross and Salvation Army crews have also arrived on the scene to assist fire crews that have come from all over Cincinnati to assist firefighters on the scene.
Stay with WCPO.com and WCPO-TV for updates to this story. Please click "refresh" on your browser to view the most recent version of this story.