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Nov. 15--CRESCO, Iowa -- A Cresco pallet business is back up and running thanks to hard work by volunteer firefighters and quick thinking by employees.
Flames broke out in the warehouse at SMI Co. during second shift Monday night, and workers tried to douse the blaze with extinguishers, said SMI President Chuck Burke.
They also closed a fire door to seal off the area and keep the fire from spreading into the adjacent manufacturing area, Burke said.
"They tried to put it out with fire extinguishers, and it got out of hand too quickly," Burke said.
Fire crews from Cresco, Lime Springs and Protovin worked through the night to contain the flames.
The fire gutted the warehouse and destroyed a heat-treat kiln, but the production area was spared.
"As bad is it was, it could have been worse," Burke said.
The plant was back in operation Tuesday morning, Burke said. He said arrangements are also being made to find a temporary warehouse or use semi trailers for storage. He is also notifying customers about possible delays.
The cause of the fire hasn't been determined, Burke said.
The fire burned about 8,000 to 10,000 pallets, Burke said. He said the plant makes about 30,000 pallets a week.
SMI Co. employs a total of 65 people at the manufacturing/warehouse facility and at a sawmill operating in another part of town, Burke said.
Earlier story:
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CRESCO, Iowa -- Fifty firefighters from three agencies saved the production and office areas of a company whose warehouse caught fire Monday.
Firefighters were called to SMI Co. in Cresco about 6 p.m., said Darrell Knecht, Howard County emergency management coordinator, who also was at the scene.
"Fire crews got out to the location and the warehouse portion of the facility was full involved. Their intent was to keep the office and production areas -- which were attached -- keep them from burning, which they did," Knecht said. "Fire crews did an excellent job."
Fire crews from Cresco, Protivin and Lime Springs battled the blaze into the early morning hours, Knecht said.
No one was injured, Knecht said. He did not know if anyone was working at the plant at the time.
