Fire destroys warehouse

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HOUSTON — A large warehouse at RC Family Wood Products on state Route 47 was destroyed during a Monday night fire. Firefighters were on the scene until early Tuesday morning.

The business located at 5590 State Route 47 in Houston, is still open for business, but its 80-foot by 120-foot back building housing its maintenance and pallet tear-down department is a total loss, said Fort Loramie Fire Chief Brad Schulze. The building contained equipment, tow motors and raw goods.

The loss amount is estimated around $1 million.

Shelby County dispatch received the call at 9:29 p.m. on Monday, March 29. Schulze said firefighters remained on the scene until around 4 a.m. Tuesday.

“There was heavy involvement, not quite full involvement, but heavy involvement when we arrived on the scene,” Schulze said.

No one was at the business when the fire started, he said, and noted it was a passer-by who called in the fire.

Nineteen fire departments from Shelby, Miami, Darke and Auglaize counties responded to the scene of the fire. All Shelby County fire departments responded along with Covington and Fletcher Fire Departments, from Miami County; Versailles, North Star and Osgood Fire Departments, from Darke County; and Minster, New Bremen and New Knoxville Fire Departments, from Auglaize County, assisted Fort Loramie Fire.

Firefighters drew water from four of the closest ponds, and completely drained two of them when fighting the fire. When asked if this made it more difficult to put the fire out compared to utilizing fire hydrants, Schulze said it wasn’t more difficult, just different, but county fire departments “are used to it.”

He said Sidney and New Bremen Fire Departments provided their aerial fire trucks, along with Fort Loramie’s, to attack the fire with water from above. There were 20 different fire trucks on the scene, he noted.

Also assisting, were Fort Loramie Rescue providing drinks and standing by to assist firefighters, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to direct traffic, the Salvation Army to provide canteen service, DP&L to secure power, and “many other hands,” Schulze said.

The state of Ohio Fire Marshall was also called to the scene later Tuesday morning to aid in the investigation.

The fire remains an active investigation at this time, but Schulze said nothing suspicious is suspected. He noted no cause for the fire has been determined at this time and believes it is likely to remain undetermined given the total destruction of the structure and its contents.

No one, which includes firefighters, were injured in the fire.

An explosion sends debris and flames into the air.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4304-4.jpgAn explosion sends debris and flames into the air. Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4348-4.jpgLuke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

Firefighters walk past the remains of a building on fire.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4630-4.jpgFirefighters walk past the remains of a building on fire. Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4198-1.jpgLuke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4470-1.jpgLuke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4488-1.jpgLuke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4744-1.jpgLuke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_DSC_4548-1.jpgLuke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

Flames leap higher than a fire truck ladder as firefighters from throughout the area try to put out a fire at 5590 State Route 47 around 9 p.m. on Monday, March 29.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/03/web1_SDN033121PalletFire-4.jpgFlames leap higher than a fire truck ladder as firefighters from throughout the area try to put out a fire at 5590 State Route 47 around 9 p.m. on Monday, March 29. Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Damage set at $1 million at RC Family Wood Products

By Sheryl Roadcap

[email protected]

Reach the writer at 937-538-4823.

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