GREEN: Nate Wilmoth and several others from the Car Tech Collision shop worked frantically for a few moments Tuesday morning to put out a rapidly spreading fire next door.
“We grabbed all the fire extinguishers we could, but it went quick,” Wilmoth said.
The blaze caused major structural damage to the adjoining All American Box & Supply on Chenoweth Drive.
Green spokeswoman Valerie Wolford said the first call about the fire, which created thick black smoke that could be seen for miles, came in around 8:30 a.m.
The first fire truck arrived within seven minutes and a call for more help quickly followed.
About 40 firefighters from Green, Uniontown, New Franklin and Coventry and Jackson townships battled the blaze, which continued to flare up hours after the initial call, said Green Assistant fire Chief Kevin Groen. No one was hurt.
Firefighters were still on the site past 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The fire started in a truck that was parked inside the business, Groen said.
The fire pretty much gutted the box company as its roof caved in. There was also smoke and water damage to the adjoining Car Tech Collision business.
“We had a very large fire load” because of the boxes and other equipment and material inside the business, Groen said.
Groen said crews were forced to go from an offensive mode to a defensive mindset, pulling “our people out for their safety because of structural issues.”
Authorities say the owner of the business told investigators that he was in his office when he heard a noise, looked out and saw the truck on fire.
Wilmoth said he and six others working at Car Tech ran over when they heard the businessman call for help.
At one point, Wilmoth said, he and his co-workers tried to put a chain on the burning truck to pull it out of the building.
“It was too hot,” he said.
Wilmoth said a fire wall separating the businesses did its job.
“It would have been a lot worse with our paint chemicals,” he said.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or at jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.