Fire marshal to investigate equipment fire at Deemston rock quarry
Courtesy of Bentleyville Volunteer Fire Department
Firefighters work to extinguish a large equipment fire early Tuesday morning at the Maggie Lynn Limestone Quarry in Deemston.
Firefighters work to extinguish a large equipment fire early Tuesday morning at the Maggie Lynn Limestone Quarry in Deemston.
Firefighters work to extinguish a large equipment fire early Tuesday morning at the Maggie Lynn Limestone Quarry in Deemston.
A state police fire marshal is investigating a large equipment fire that happened early Tuesday morning at the Maggie Lynn Limestone Quarry in Deemston.
The call came in about 12:30 a.m. East Bethlehem fire Chief Mark Giovanelli said the fire was contained to an “L-shaped grouping of three pieces of equipment” used for processing rocks.
“It seems like it started in the back part,” he said.
He said the person who reported the fire lives in Greene County, and could see the fire from his house. Giovanelli said that was likely the only place the fire could have been visible, as it “was way down in the bottom of the quarry.”
The fire initially appeared to be suspicious, Giovanelli said, based on the circumstances.
“Any fire that happens in an isolated area at a time that it shouldn’t be operating tends to be suspicious,” he said.
The company, Neiswonger Construction, posted on Facebook later that day saying it would investigating in an attempt to find “individuals involved.” They said in the Tuesday post that a $10,000 reward would be offered for “any information related to this tragedy.”
On Wednesday, however, the state police fire marshal began investigating. Giovanelli said investigators are now “leaning toward it being caused by an electrical issue,” though an official cause has not yet been determined.
According to Neiswonger, the fire caused at least $2 million in damage and put “an entire crew out of work.”
“Fortunately, we did not have a crew running night shift and all of our employees are safe,” the Facebook post said.
Assisting East Bethlehem at the scene were crews from Bentleyville, Richeyville, Denbo Vesta Six, Marianna and the Washington County Hazardous Materials team, as there was “a lot of hydraulic fluid leaking,” Giovanelli said.