Crime & Safety

Three-alarm Fire Sweeps Buckingham Industrial Plant

Firefighters from nearly 20 area companies battled the blaze at a complex near the Doylestown Airport early Tuesday morning.

A fire ripped through a Doylestown-area industrial plant early Tuesday morning, shooting flames nearly 30 feet into the sky at its peak intensity.

Area firefighters battled the blaze at Arbonite for more than two hours before finally beating it back.

The fire broke out at 3826 Old Easton Rd around 5:30 a.m. By 6:25 a.m., firefighters put out a second call for equipment and assistance, and a third alarm was sounded around 7 a.m., according to emergency reports.

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Firefighters from 19 volunteer companies flocked to the scene, coming from as far away as Colmar and Quakertown, said Doylestown Fire Company spokesman Larry Browne. Two ambulance companies also responded.

The Bucks County Hazardous Materials team also was called to the scene, because of multiple drums of chemicals stored in the 55,000-square-foot facility.

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Firefighters contained the blaze shortly after 8 a.m. No danger was thought to be posed by airborne fumes from the chemical fire, officials said.

"Air measuring is clean and there are no issues," the fire company posted on its Facebook page.

No one has been reported injured in the fire, though NBC10 Philadelphia is reporting that one firefighter was taken to a hospital for injuries unrelated to the fire.

Thick black smoke trailed from the blazing building, alerting residents in nearby neighborhoods of the fire. Though some neighbors were prepared for an evacuation signal, none was given. Officials said the fire rendered the chemicals stored in the warehouse inert.

The morning commute also was disrupted by the fire, as parts of Old Easton Road and Easton Road had to be closed early Tuesday morning while the fire was active.

Arbonite, a division of P & R Industries, makes protective coatings and linings for customers in industries such as power generation, metal plating, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The Bucks County Fire Marshal is now handling the investigation into the cause of the fire, Browne said.

The fire companies that responded to the blaze include:

  • Doylestown
  • Plumsteadville
  • Midway
  • Warrington
  • Point pleasant
  • Ottsville
  • Lingohocken
  • Penndel with foam
  • Bucks County haz-mat
  • Hilltown
  • Chalfont
  • Quakertown
  • Hartsville
  • Warminster
  • Montgomery 18
  • Milford
  • Perkasie
  • Warwick
  • Silverdale
  • Colmar
  • Central Bucks Ambulance
  • Plumstead EMS


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