PICKAWAY – American Wood Fibers reported a fire inside of its raw material storage area around 2:30 yesterday January 22, 2019. According to Pickaway Township Fire response to the fire was quick at four minutes because Pickaway Township is located less than a half a mile away.
A total of ten agencies, ten fire trucks, and fifty five firefighters were involved for eight hours battling the fire, not including police, Pickaway Emergency management, and Box 65 units. Responding units for mutual aide were, SaltCreek Tarlton FD, Circleville Fire, South West Pickaway (Williamsport), Clearcreek Twp Fire, Harrison Twp Fire, Clearcreek Twp., Amanda Twp. Fire Dept., Laurelville Fire, Ross County fire unites Union Twp Fire, Colerain Twp Fire, Pickaway county Sherriff, and Pickaway County EMA.
According to Pickaway Township fire no one was injured in the fire and everyone was able to escape quickly due to the trigger of the fire alarm in the building.
Firefighters used the Circleville Ladder fire truck to gain access to the roof and cut vent holes into the storage facility to reduce the smoke inside the storage area so they could fight the fire more effectively. Around 10:30 pm Pickaway Fire reported the fire was contained and they left one unit on scene all night to prevent the possibility of a flare up.
This is not the first fire in the facility according to sources the facility has had two other fires in the last 15 years.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation and the report was not available at time of posting, but will update when it comes available.
