SIDNEY — The cause of a Saturday morning fire at Mechanical Galv-Plating Corp. on Oak Avenue is under investigation by the Sidney Department of Fire and Emergency Services Fire Investigation Unit.

Crews from the Sidney Fire Department were dispatched at approximately 5:49 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, on a report of an industrial property full of smoke. Sidney Police officers were on scene at Mechanical Galv-Plating Corp., 933 Oak Ave. in Sidney, and found heavy smoke coming from the business.

On-duty crews arrived and began searching the large building for the source of the smoke, said a Sidney Fire press release. The fire was discovered in the rear of the business at a metal coating application process work area and was contained to the area of origin. A box alarm was struck recalling all off-duty Sidney Fire personnel as well as Anna and Lockington Fire Departments for mutual aid. AES Ohio and CenterPoint Energy were called to assist with controlling utilities.

Hexavalent Chromium and other chemicals utilized in the plating operation were released by the fire and were contained onsite. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was notified of the release and will be working with the company to ensure all appropriate mitigation and clean-up actions take place.

According to personnel from the business, the operation had been shut down since Wednesday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

A fixed dollar loss has not been determined to the business and losses are anticipated to exceed $100,000.

No injuries were reported at this incident.