MtMan-List: NEWS FLASH-FYI

[ThisOldFox@aol.com]

Just thought I'd forward this on for those of you who are Thompson Center
fans.

Dave Kanger
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> Fire devastates Thompson Center Arms

> 3/28/97
>
> By DAVID WARREN - Foster's Daily Democrat Rochester
> Bureau Chief and ROD DOHERTY - Executive Editor
>
>
> ROCHESTER - A five-alarm blaze late Thursday night at one of
> the city's largest employers burned for more than four hours.
> Smoldering on into the morning, nearly 150 firefighters from
> 16 area communities were called to the scene to quell flames
> punctuated by small explosions of munitions and oil.
>
> Firefighters were still on the scene at 9 a.m. today looking
> for hot spots left by the conflagration and searching for a cause.
>
> The fire destroyed three buildings that were part of the manufacturing
> facility of the Thompson Center Arms complex on Route 11 and may
> have jeopardized nearly 200 jobs in that part of the operation.
> Thompson employs nearly 500 people and manufactures pistols, rifles
> and black powder rifles.
>
>Firefighters were able to save a warehouse holding nearly $8 million of
>finished products. The fire was first spotted by a security guard making
>his rounds about 10:15 p.m. Seymour Bowden, of Farmington, said he
>encountered thick smoke while checking the manufacturing building in the
>center of the facility. He said he alerted approximately nine
>workers to clear the building and he then notified the Fire Department.
>Bowden noted the second shift at Thompson usually ends at 9 p.m.
>
>The fire was quickly upgraded to two alarms when Rochester
>firefighters could see the glow of the flames as they
>departed the downtown fire station, about two miles away. As they neared
>the fire,it was upgraded to four alarms, and on the arrival of
>Rochester Fire Chief Mark Dellner a fifth "plus'' alarm was struck.
>Dellner said the fifth alarm brought more pumpers and ladder trucks to the
>scene and the "plus" was to bring more personnel from area communities
>to assist and relieve firefighters already on the scene.
>
>One of the buildings was completely engulfed in flames by the time the
>first fire crews arrived and two flanking structures were on fire.
>Firefighters had to briefly contend with exploding munitions but were
>ultimately able to prevent the flames from spreading beyond the three
>central buildings. The business offices, the foundry and outdoor gear
>and equipment store, just to the south of the fire area, were not
>damaged.
>
>Firefighters from 17 towns provided mutual aid at the blaze and the
>length of Route 11 from Ten Rod Road to the Spaulding Turnpike
>overpass was cordoned off and lined with fire engines, ambulances
>and other emergency vehicles.
>
>At the fire command post early this morning, Dellner said he was
>"amazed" to report no injuries occurred. The command post had been set up
>on Route 11 near the entrance to Thompson and it was at that site that
>Dellner and his officers directed their strategy through the night and
>into the morning.
>
>At the height of the fire, four aerial ladders, one from Rochester, two
>from Portsmouth and one from Dover, poured water on the fire while
>10 engine pumpers surrounded the fire scene, drawing water hydrants and
>each other to keep the pressure up for the aerial ladders and firefighters
>wielding hand-held hoses. Dellner noted water shot through the aerial
>hoses at a rate of 800 gallons a minute.
>
>"Our firefighters were taking a beating,'' said Dellner. "In a fire of
>this magnitude teamwork is important and mutual aid is essential.''
>Several firefighters, such as Rochester Capt. Derek Peters, said the
>blaze was the fiercest they had encountered.
>
>Early reports of hazardous materials inside the buildings compounded
>problems. Although oil and other compounds were evident, they were
>not expected to have a negative impact on the surrounding environment.
>
>Nevertheless, the state police hazardous material unit was at the scene,
>as were the Department of Environmental Services, the Pease
>Decontamination Team, Exeter Fire Department's hazardous material unit,
>and New Hampshire Pollution Control.
>
>In addition to the Dover and Strafford Fire Departments, departments
>from Somersworth, Barrington, Milton, Portsmouth, Newington, Farmington,
>Alton, Rollinsford, New Durham and Durham, and Maine departments from
>Berwick, North Berwick, Lebanon and East Lebanon assisted Rochester
>firefighters. Somersworth, Stratham and Milton Air Vans provided air
>packs.
>
>Frisbie Memorial Hospital sent two ambulance units, as did Farmington,
>and Barrington had another ambulance on standby.A Salvation Army mobile
>unit from Portland, Maine, provided food and drinks for firefighters, and
>the York, Maine, Fire Department provided its mobile canteen unit. The
>American Red Cross had a mobile unit nearby and Northern Utilities was
>also at the scene, making certain all natural gas had stopped servicing
Thompson Center Arms.
>
>Viewed this morning, the most extensive damage was toward the rear
>of the center buildings where charred jags of wall shielded
>blackened, smoking debris. Pockets of fire continued until at least
>3:30 a.m. At about that time a Caterpillar excavator was brought in to
>tear down exterior walls and remove interior debris so that firefighters
>could reach isolated flames with their hoses.
>
>Throughout the night and into the morning, thick white smoke
>billowed hundreds of feet into the air from the facility'scenter
>buildings, most of which are connected. Thompson Vice President Joe
>Behre, of Rochester, confirmed it was the manufacturing building at
>the center of the complex that was razed by the fire. Another building
>at the rear, closest to the turnpike, in which repairs were performed
>was also gutted, Behre said.
>
>The buildings contained a machine shop for making gun
>barrels, a routing room, the gun barrel bluing room and the wooden
>gunstock-making facility for black powder rifles. A large number of
>containers of machine oil were also located in the area of the fire, as
>was the ammo basement and the shooting tube where guns were tested.
>
>"The impact is really on the people who work here,'' City Manager
>Gary Stenhouse said at the command post, where he remained most
>of the night. "It's one of the older businesses in the city.
>Thompson Center Arms has been one of our best neighbors for the past
>30 years. The key is for them to get back on their feet.''
>
>"The city will be ready to do whatever it can to assist the company
>and the employees," Stenhouse said. "Our hearts go out to
>the employees."
>
>The company was started in 1953 and moved to Rochester in
>1962. Public Works Superintendent David Ford said from the scene
>at 4 a.m. that some residents should expect rust-colored water
>flowing from their taps this weekend. The strong rush of water from
>three main lines used in battling the blaze will probably kick up
>sediments, he said. "At night time the tanks are full. Problems will
>start when people begin to turn on the water later this morning.''

>End of Story