July 19--PLAIN CITY, Ohio -- At least three firefighters were treated for heat-related illness at the scene of a blazing print shop in Madison County yesterday afternoon.
Two others were injured when flames flashed over.
Officials at the scene said none of the injuries appeared to be serious, but all the firefighters were taken to a hospital to be checked out. They reportedly were all released late last night, but fire officials couldn't be reached to comment.
The Madison County sheriff's office said the first call of a fire at Bindery & Specialties Inc. (Press Works) came at 2:22 p.m. The print company is at 351 W. Bigelow Ave. in Plain City.
Mark Izzard, one of the company's owners, said he has about 85 employees, and about 60 were in the building as it quickly filled with smoke.
No employees were hurt, he said.
Fire crews had the blaze contained by about 5:30 p.m., but because of the size of the building and the chemicals and materials inside, they stayed for some time, said a firefighter from the Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District, which serves the Plain City area. Firefighters were still on the scene late into the night, dousing hot spots.
At least six other fire departments from two other counties helped fight the blaze, which Izzard said he thinks might have been smoldering above the ceiling for some time because of the speed with which the building filled with smoke.It wasn't clear late last night what caused the fire.
Fire departments that assisted Pleasant Valley included Columbus and Marysville, as well as Concord, Jerome, Norwich and Washington townships.
Plain City police said so many firefighters were needed because crews couldn't endure long shifts in the intense heat.
Within an hour of the fire starting, the village had been blanketed with smoke that hung in the humid air. Even some people walking on Main Street several blocks from the blaze covered their faces with T-shirts and handkerchiefs.
Neighbors made sure the print-shop employees were taken care of. They dragged a picnic table and a dozen chairs up to a shady spot at the corner of the street so workers could gather there as their friends and families began arriving to make certain they were safe.
The local American Red Cross delivered water, even to the sightseers who gathered late into the afternoon.
"We're grateful for the help," said one print-shop worker as he guzzled his third bottle of water.
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