Fire strikes city utilities building
Damage primarily smoke, heat
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Photo courtesy/Hollie Schmidt Whitehouse Volunteer Fire Department personnel extinguish a fire at the city's utilities building Monday.

Fire broke out around 8 p.m. on Monday night in the Whitehouse utilities barn on Railroad Avenue. The fire started in the southeast corner of the structure with flames making their way under the sheet metal and igniting some grass along the railroad track.

Ronny Fite, city manager and city fire marshal, says the fire was quickly contained and most of the damage was caused by smoke and heat.

"The fire damage is pretty much limited to the southeast corner of the building," Fite said. "Looking at it right now, we'll have to peel out all of the insulation, clean up the metal and replace the insulation." "It does appear that we did fact have spontaneous combustion of our Red Hot chemical," Fite said. "Red Hots are used clear sewer mains clogged with grease, etc. Once in contact with water it heats up do to a chemical reaction."

Damage could have been much worse than it was. The building contained several city trucks, backhoes, tractors and lawn maintenance equipment.

A chemical spontaneous combustion is believed to be the cause of Monday's fire at the city's utilities building. While the building is being cleaned and repaired, the city utility department will be headquartered at the Recycle Center.

"Two of the vehicles and two tractors sustained heavy heat and smoke damage, with the others, moderate heat and smoke damage," Fite said. "Two of the trucks will be totaled due to their age, one of which was scheduled for replacement anyway."

Also in the building, awaiting installation, was the city's new early warning alarm system.

Fite said the crates appear to only have smoke damage, but the equipment will be carefully scrutinized to ensure it is all okay and ready for use.

While the building is being cleaned up and repaired, the city utility department will be headquartered across the street at the recycle center.

"The recycle center will be closed for an indefinite period of time as the building will now be our temporary utility headquarters," Fite said. "We will be unable to take recycle products during this period."

Two City of Whitehouse vehicles were totaled after Monday's fire at the utilities barn on Railroad Avenue.

Fite did say that the upcoming Clean Whitehouse Day, scheduled for Oct. 6, should be able to go on as planned since the majority of that day's collection takes place outdoors.

Ever yday recyclable items such as paper, plastic, glass and aluminum can be taken to the Tyler recycle center located at 418 N. Bois D'Arc.