Alcohol wipes catch fire in 340,000 sq ft warehouse18 January 2011A factory that makes antiseptic wipes caught fire last Wednesday (12 January). The NicePak warehouse, in Orangeburg, South Carolina, was burning for around five hours before firefighters managed to extinguish the flames. Around 150 crew members fought the fire, which was discovered at 11 am following the sounding of an automatic alarm. A sprinkler system is believed to have helped reduce fire spread, local news reports said, but cold conditions made the fire difficult to tackle. Two firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation. Large rolls of wet wipes had to be removed from the warehouse using forklifts to locate which ones were on fire, according to news website, New City Patch. A press release from the Orangeburg fire department described how the different fire departments tackled the blaze inside the 340,000 sq ft building. "The initial crews had trouble locating the exact location of the fire as the entire end of the warehouse was floor to ceiling smoke. "Orangeburg and Blauvelt made entry from the north side loading docks, Tappan entered from the west side utility room and Sparkill entered from the east side of the warehouse. Pearl River went to the roof to start opening the many skylights. "After a few tense minutes the fire was located and the crews began their attack." NicePak makes wipes for beauty care, babies, hand care and sanitizing, as well as disposable household cleaning, personal care and sanitary cloths. The fire is under investigation.    |
