LIBERTY — A fire at a Liberty gate manufacturer Monday afternoon caused extensive damage to the interior of the building.
An all-call to every fire department in the county was issued at 3:36 p.m. as black smoke poured from doors and certain areas of the roof at Scott Gate Co. on Ky. 49.
“It was some of the blackest smoke that I’ve ever seen,” said Brush Creek Fire Department Chief Gale Scott.
The fire started when sparks from a cutting torch set a paint tank on fire, Scott said.
Firefighters were concerned about the paint tank exploding, and Scott Gate employees quickly moved a tractor and semi-truck parked close to the building.
“We had to use foam on the paint tank to cool it down, or it could have exploded,” Scott said. “Our main concern was to cool it down and then put out the fire in the insulation.”
The open-span metal building sustained damage to the roof, insulation and some of the roll-up doors, he said.
Owner Larry Scott said Tuesday he was still assessing the extent of the damage to determine when the business can reopen.
Gale Scott said no firefighters were injured, but Larry Scott’s son, Ben, received minor burns.
Firefighters were assisted by Liberty-Casey County Rescue Squad and Casey County Emergency Management Services.
