Factory badly damaged in Hopkinsville fire
More than 15 firefighters worked to extinguish the fire at the Metalsa facility on Bill Bryan Boulevard.
HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (WSMV) - Firefighters from all four Hopkinsville stations responded to a factory fire early Tuesday morning and battled the flames throughout the day.
According to the Hopkinsville Fire Department, crews were dispatched to the Metalsa factory on Bill Bryan Boulevard. around 1:45 a.m. on Tuesday and arrived to find large flames coming from the roof of the building.
More than 15 firefighters worked to extinguish the fire and safely evacuated all personnel from the facility. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters said the fire started in a wax pit used to seal car frames, which are made in the factory. The flames caused the roof to collapse and made it difficult to get the entire fire under control. It was only 90% contained as of 5 p.m.
“It’s been very challenging for everyone,” firefighter Payton Rogers said. “Not only our personnel but our trucks. It’s really pushed us to the limit. Thankful we were able to rotate shift crews out around 7 a.m. this morning. We are rotating crews as quickly as we can to get people to rest and get people back inside.”
Rogers called the wax used in the factory “a very vulnerable material” and said they respond to multiple calls at the facility every year. However, they have never seen a fire this big.
“We were able to work with the maintenance personnel to get the northern end of the building kind of isolated,” Rogers said. “We saved as much as possible so they can continue to operate to the best they can. By doing that, it’s kept us safe but also keep their operations going as soon as they can get it going.”
Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.
