S.C. Firefighters Battle Business Blaze For 12 Hours

Dec. 11-- Firefighters from multiple Spartanburg County departments battled a business fire on College Drive early Monday morning.

First responders worked to contain the blaze at Platronics Seals for more than 12 hours, said Capt. Robert Grizzle of the Westview-Fairforest Fire Department. Grizzle said the cause of the fire has not been determined and is still under investigation.

The fire at 5010 College Drive, near Southwest Drive, was reported at 12:18 a.m. Officials said no one was in the building at the time of the fire.

Westview-Fairforest firefighters led the effort, with assistance from North Spartanburg, Duncan, Hilltop, Boiling Springs, Roebuck and Una. Grizzle estimated 50 to 60 firefighters were on scene during the peak of the fire, and he commended those who responded.

"Everybody there did a great job," he said. "The team worked like we always do."

Platronics, which moved to Spartanburg from New Jersey in 2008, manufactures hermetic packages for the semiconductor, aerospace, automotive, optoelectronic and telecommunications industries.

Tiffany Stevens, human resources manager for Platronics Seals, said about 60 people worked in the building. She said the company does plan to rebuild in Spartanburg. Several employees were at the scene Monday assessing damages.

"It just happened today, so we're still in shock about it, but we're going to try a makeshift setup," Stevens said. "We're not moving."

Stevens praised firefighters for their quick response and said employees have been supportive.

"Our employees are dedicated," Stevens said. "We've had so many of them here today, even though we told them they didn't have to be here."

Spartanburg County Emergency Management Coordinator Doug Bryson said chemicals used for industrial plating were inside the building, and representatives with the state Department of Health and Environmental Control were on scene to monitor their safe disposal.

Monday's fire follows a hectic weekend for area fire departments. First responders continue to monitor what remains of the historic Saxon Mill after fire spread through it Saturday night.

"We're fortunate to have the amount of resources we do in the county," Bryson said. "It's been a crazy weekend, but we're very fortunate. We've had no firefighters injured, nothing like that."

Copyright 2012 - Herald-Journal, Spartanburg, S.C.