COLUMBUS, Ohio — Crews from multiple departments responded to a large fire that broke out at a woodworking facility in Plain City early Tuesday morning.
According to the Pleasant Valley Fire District, crews were alerted to the fire shortly after 4 a.m. at Whitmer Woodworks in the 8000 block of Carters Mill Road.
First responders reported seeing heavy smoke with flames coming from the roof of a building as they arrived at the scene.
Officials said one person was working inside and he had left the building prior to the arrival of the firefighters. He reported hearing a “pop” and noticed fire coming from one of the machines in operation.
Small explosions could be heard from inside one of the structures.
The first arriving crew attempted to enter the building but they were driven away due to the intense heat and heavy fire. Officials said defensive operations were used until the fire was contained almost five hours later.
Efforts to put out the fire were hindered by a lack of a municipal water system near the fire, according to officials. Because of this, 10 trucks designed to carry water for firefighting were used.
The structure is a total loss and the cause is currently under investigation by the Pleasant Valley Fire District. There were no injuries reported.
Officials said 60 firefighters from 11 different departments responded to the scene as well as the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and members of the Union County Emergency Management Agency.
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