Five companies respond to roof fire in Franconia

Five fire companies and six other emergency units responded to a roof fire late Saturday afternoon at -B6 3DFNHUODnG ORFDWHG on Souder Road in Franconia.

A maintenance worker of JBS, formerly known as WhH 023$C 5HnGHULnJ DLvision, called Montgomery CRunWy 911 UHSRUWLnJ D fiUH on the roof on the A-D section of the plant, according WR 3HUsHYHUDnFH VROunWHHU Fire Company Battalion Chief Ben Shearer.

Companies were dispatched at 4:20 p.m. Sept. 1 ,DnG DW DUULYDO, fiUHfiJhWers discovered an electrical transformer was the base of WhH fiUH.

“We couldn’t fight the fire until the electricity was turned off to the building,” said Shearer. “It took about 20 minutes for that to happen … and we contained the fire around [5:30 p.m.]”

Three companies — 6RuGHUWRn, HDWfiHOG DnG Harleysville — used aerial devices to put out the flDmHs. FLUHfiJhWHUs wHUH also seen working on the roof.

Franconia Fire Marshal Steve Coll was at the scene and the incident is still under investigation.

According to Shearer, roughly $600,000 to $800,000 worth of damage is being reported, which includes the transformer, a section of the roof and some machines inside.

Ten JBS employees were evacuated from the building and no injuries were reported, said Shearer.

With warm weather and it being a holiday weekend, Shearer requested more companies to assist with WhH fiUH.

Fire companies on site included Souderton, Telford, Hatfield, Harleysville and Towamencin. Other units assisting were Harleysville and Souderton EMS, /DnsGDOH VROunWHHU 0HGical Service Corps, FranFRnLD 3ROLFH DHSDUWmHnW DnG 1RUWh 3Hnn GRRGwill.

-B6 3DFNHUODnG sSRNHswoman Margaret McDonald was unable to be reached via phone.