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31 May 2024
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Fire rips through foundry in Bluefield, Virginia, US
Acrid smoke kept rising Tuesday, 21 May 2024, as motorists slowed to see the ruins left by a fire which destroyed much of a former foundry the town of Bluefield, Virginia in the US was planning to use for economic development. The fire at the old Thistle Foundry situated at 1701 Virginia Avenue was reported around 15h45 Monday. Units of the Bluefield, Va. Fire Department, the Bluefield Fire Department and the Abbs Valley-Boissevain Volunteer Fire Department responded along with Tazewell County EMS. Firefighters were soon dealing with terrific heat as the structure collapsed on itself.
Firefighters had to be wary of intense heat and collapsing walls.
Sections of the old foundry were scheduled for demolition. The remaining sections were going to be remodelled and used for economic development, "blank canvases" for new businesses, Hanson said. Because a demolition was scheduled, utilities including electricity, gas and water had been turned off.
The main goal was to save surrounding buildings and this was accomplished, Town Manager Andrew Hanson, said. He also thanked all the first responders for their work.
Passersby tolerating the rising smoke could look into the basement and see twisted steel and other charred remains. Virginia Avenue resident Tim Moore, who lives just down the street, remembered how he became aware of the blaze.
“I was sitting there on the phone and I heard the sirens,” Moore said. “I knew something was going on but I didn’t think it was anything unusual because we hear sirens from time to time, people speeding and sometimes power lines down, we’ll hear sirens but it was more pronounced. And then I could smell the smoke in my living room. That’s when I knew something different was going on.”
Moore quickly decided to see what was happening on his street. Soon neighbours were outside watching and recording the scene. “After a while, I looked out the window. I smelled the smoke and I looked out the window and saw the fire and said to myself, ‘Wow, that’s crazy,'” Moore said. “And as soon as I stepped out on the porch, the heat was just overwhelming. I mean, you could feel it. I probably live 200, 300 yards from here. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Moore said some of his neighbours were afraid the intense fire could spread to their nearby homes.
Bluefield Town Manager Andrew Hanson said at the scene Monday that protecting homes and other buildings was the goal and that firefighters were successful in doing that. “I was just praying that no one was inside the building at the time,” Moore said. “I don’t think it was a working foundry at this point but it was the biggest fire I’ve seen in long, long time, maybe never. It was huge.”
The building was owned by the town of Bluefield’s Industrial Development Authority.
This authority recently was awarded a $750 000 grant for blight removal, renovation and construction, “So it’s back to the drawing board with a new plan,” city officials said in a statement posted later.
No injuries were reported.
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Firefighters had to be wary of intense heat and collapsing walls.
Sections of the old foundry were scheduled for demolition. The remaining sections were going to be remodelled and used for economic development, "blank canvases" for new businesses, Hanson said. Because a demolition was scheduled, utilities including electricity, gas and water had been turned off.
The main goal was to save surrounding buildings and this was accomplished, Town Manager Andrew Hanson, said. He also thanked all the first responders for their work.
Passersby tolerating the rising smoke could look into the basement and see twisted steel and other charred remains. Virginia Avenue resident Tim Moore, who lives just down the street, remembered how he became aware of the blaze.
“I was sitting there on the phone and I heard the sirens,” Moore said. “I knew something was going on but I didn’t think it was anything unusual because we hear sirens from time to time, people speeding and sometimes power lines down, we’ll hear sirens but it was more pronounced. And then I could smell the smoke in my living room. That’s when I knew something different was going on.”
Moore quickly decided to see what was happening on his street. Soon neighbours were outside watching and recording the scene. “After a while, I looked out the window. I smelled the smoke and I looked out the window and saw the fire and said to myself, ‘Wow, that’s crazy,'” Moore said. “And as soon as I stepped out on the porch, the heat was just overwhelming. I mean, you could feel it. I probably live 200, 300 yards from here. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Moore said some of his neighbours were afraid the intense fire could spread to their nearby homes.
Bluefield Town Manager Andrew Hanson said at the scene Monday that protecting homes and other buildings was the goal and that firefighters were successful in doing that. “I was just praying that no one was inside the building at the time,” Moore said. “I don’t think it was a working foundry at this point but it was the biggest fire I’ve seen in long, long time, maybe never. It was huge.”
The building was owned by the town of Bluefield’s Industrial Development Authority.
This authority recently was awarded a $750 000 grant for blight removal, renovation and construction, “So it’s back to the drawing board with a new plan,” city officials said in a statement posted later.
No injuries were reported.
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph
