4-alarm
fire engulfs Smithfield pallet company
By Kathryn Kemp
November 16, 2005 | SMITHFIELD -- Fire
and police departments from all over the valley responded
last night to Smithfield when a fire broke out at a
pallet manufacturing company on 400 South.
The Smithfield City Fire Department responded to Mortimer's
Pallet Company at 9:40 p.m. Tuesday after a neighbor
called 911. Other fire departments from the valley were
then called to the scene. There were no injuries, and
the cause of the fire and the extent of damages were
still unknown. The police and fire departments will
do a joint investigation beginning this morning, said
Smithfield Fire Chief Jay Downs.
Gilbert Gabaldon, whose back yard is a neighbor to
Mortimer's, called 911 when he heard popping and saw
sparks. After he called 911 he called the owner, Delon
Mortimer, to tell him what was happening.
"No sooner than I had gotten my calls made and that
thing just went up," Gabaldon said.
Homes and businesses on the west and south side of
the structure were evacuated, although the blaze only
engulfed the Mortimer's and the pallets around it.
According to Downs, the four-alarm fire was 300 feet
long and 40 feet wide. They had 10 fire engines, two
ladder trucks, and approximately 75 firefighters on
the scene.
The fire departments that responded included Hyrum,
Wellsville, North Logan, Logan, Mendon, Cache County
and others. They had "most of the units the valley,"
said Downs.
"There are departments from all over the valley here;
I have no idea who they are!" Smithfield Police Chief
John McCoy said.
Logan Fire Chief Mark Meaker said that this is the
first major structure fire since an Automatic Aid Agreement
was signed between Smithfield, Logan, North Logan and
Cache County. This agreement allows equipment and personnel
to be available to aid any of the other cities who need
help, and the dispatcher will know who they are supposed
to call. Meaker said he thinks the system worked well,
and the response was effective. Downs said he is proud
to be a part of the agreement.
By about 10:30 p.m. the blaze had been contained to
just the building and there were hopes of getting it
out soon; but for a while the neighbors were a little
nervous. "Let me tell you, those flames were really
up there!" Gabaldon said.
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