Clinton Street 3-alarm fire leaves 1 firefighter injured
NEWARK – Firefighters across Licking County responded to a three-alarm fire that left one firefighter injured in Newark on Thursday night.
Around 8:40 p.m. Thursday, Newark fire was called to a vacant building at 155 Clinton St., the site of a former meat supply company, for a reported fire.
Within an hour, Livecad showed 23 units from fire departments across the county were on scene, with more en route.
Newark Fire Chief Patrick Connor on Thursday said one firefighter was injured at the scene after a fall. The firefighter was taken to Licking Memorial Hospital to be evaluated.
On Friday, Connor told The Advocate the firefighter was home and sore, but resting.
According to Connor, firefighters found the northern section of the building on fire upon arrival. Because there were northerly winds, he said that helped push the fire into the warehouse section of the building before their crews could get control of the initial fire.
Because the building was vacant for probably the past decade, Connor said they fought the fire defensively. He noted there was Anhydrous ammonia, a chemical used for refrigeration, inside the building, which is extremely dangerous if inhaled or if it gets into a person's eyes.
Connor said because the building was fully involved, the walls of the building have become unstable. He
added they are working with property maintenance to see if they can have the building torn down for the public's safety.
One of the walls, he said, is bowed near a neighboring home. Connor said firefighters were in place to protect the home if it became necessary and the family was housed via the Red Cross overnight.
On Friday morning, a prevention crew and fire investigator remained on scene at the Clinton Street location.
Connor said they found evidence of
people getting inside the building and are working to determine the cause of the fire.
The Clinton Street fire was the second working fire Newark Division of Fire responded to on Thursday evening. Hours earlier, the department was dispatched to a working structure fire in a vacant home in Oakwood Avenue.
In a Facebook post, the department noted the site was a known squatter location and had dangerous interior conditions. No injuries were reported and the fire remains under investigation.